Apple this week responded to complaints regarding 4G advertising on the new iPad
The Retina Display aside, one of the more appealing features on the new iPad is the built-in support for 4G LTE. Thus far, speed tests, especially on Verizon, have shown incredible upload and download speeds that really put 3G to shame.
There is a rub, however.
If you want to get your hands on a 4G iPad and actually make use of the feature, you better live in North America. For you see, the iPad’s 4G functionality doesn’t work on the bands of other worldwide carriers. And while Apple does make a note of this in the iPad fine print, that’s not good enough for everyone.
Last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission accused Apple of advertising the iPad under false pretenses and misrepresenting the devices 4G ability by including the “4G” moniker in its iPad advertising.
The ACCC noted in its complaint that Apple is in violation of Australian Consumer Law:
The ACCC alleges that Apple’s recent promotion of the new ‘iPad with WiFi + 4G’ is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product ‘iPad with WiFi + 4G’ can, with a SIM card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case.”
In the wake of the ACCC complaint, Apple’s lawyers noted that it never specifically claimed that its newest iPad would run on the Australian Telstra network. Still, the company acquiesced to pressure and is now offering recent iPad owners the ability to get a refund if they feel they were misled.
At the same time, Apple has also updated its Australian marketing materials for the iPad, noting quite explicitly that it is “not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks.”
via ABC Australia
