iPhone fans in Hong Kong will not get the shiny new device simply by standing in a line, thanks to Apple, which has launched a lottery system to weed out the scalpers.

Scalpers, or people who buy hot items in bulk, only to sell them later at huge profits when the items are officially sold out, caused a near riot in Apple's Sanlitun store in Beijing on Jan. 13 when iPhone 4S was launched, because Apple got wind of their scheme and stopped selling the device temporarily.

Not surprisingly, the scalpers, who were waiting in the line for long, got annoyed and tossed eggs at the Apple Store. Law enforcement officers later had to be called in to bring the situation under control. As a precautionary measure, Apple also stopped selling iPhone 4S in its other retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. However, the new smartphone was available for online purchase via China Unicom, Apple's partner in Mainland.

Learning from the previous experience, Apple has decided to start a lottery system in Hong Kong so that scalpers can be kept at bay.

According to 9to5Mac, the new lottery system will be made accessible for a 3 hour window period, during which time the buyer should submit all details, including a government issued photo ID. Apple will then verify the details and a lottery will be held. Winners of the lottery will be informed by 9pm the same day.

"If you don’t receive an email, we were unable to reserve an iPhone for you, and you can try again another time. Only those who receive an email confirming their reservation will be able to purchase an iPhone; we will not be selling iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to walk-in customers," 9to5Mac quoted Apple as saying.

The lottery system is a big setback to scalpers who have been using bots to fill the pre-order details.

Of course, many iPhone fans in Hong Kong will also be left disappointed by Apple's new lottery system because they will no longer be able to simply walk into an Apple Store and buy the smartphone. But as the main purpose of the new system is to scrutinize the interested buyers and weed out the scalpers, iPhone fans should be thanking Apple.