scalper: someone who buys something and resells it at a price far above the initial cost.
Sometimes people want to sell things for below their cost, to let more people enjoy them than otherwise would. A scalper takes advantage of this incorrectly low price, buys the item, and resells it for it's true market value.
They do not up market value (they up price). It is a side effect of artificial supply limit by the original vendor.
If there is no artificial limit (tickets for example), it means that the price was too low in the first place and buyers are willing to pay more.
Scalpers are market-based correction tool.
Yes apple could have made the launch price higher - but then they would have to lower it after the launch to get the rest of the customers.
But the last time they did that, there was a firestorm as all the early customers were very mad at the very quick price reduction.
So apple chose to start at the more longterm price.
The correct way for them to handle it would be a premium or collectors or limited time edition. AKA the first ### buyers get a special dodad, or a signed shirt or some item to make them feel important. Then they pay extra, and don't feel cheated when it goes on sale at the regular market price.
Think about any commodity... everyone needs sugar/salt, what if somebody starts buying all the sugar from the market and hoards it... some people will start consuming less but the prices will increase due to lack of supply and more or less constant demand.. and then the person can open floodgates and make some dough in the process... Pretty common in Third world countries (and hence illegal)
This is often what happens but it isn't a necessary condition to be a scalper. You can sell tickets for at or even below the initial cost and still be considered a scalper.
Indeed many scalpers often unload tickets for less than face value if they can't find a buyer at the price they want.