NeoBytes :) is an occasional feature that takes a step back from the big headlines, to take a look at what else is happening in the vast, scary expanse of the tech world - often with a cynical eye, always with a dose of humour.
There"s no question that the iPhone 7 is a hot product right now (although maybe not THAT hot...), and with long lines and device shortages, sometimes people need to find creative ways to find the latest Apple product. That was the case for two men in Singapore who decided to buy a couple of plane tickets in order to get into the airport.
The problem was that the men had no intention to actually fly anywhere. Instead, they wanted to avoid long lines so hatched a scheme to buy plane tickets in order to get into the Changi Airport, then buy the latest Apple iPhone from a vendor as opposed to waiting in lines somewhere in the city. The problem? Apparently in Singapore it"s illegal to buy tickets if you"re not actually going to get on an airplane due to the "Protected Areas and Protected Places Act."
Now the men face fines up to $735 and, amazingly, up to two years in prison if they"re convicted of the crime. The men would probably have been better off actually using their tickets and buying a phone in another country, similar to folks in Austrailia who could save money buying Adobe Creative Suite in the United States.
Source: BBC | Image courtesy of Ben Brotherton