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Apple May Need To Rethink 4G Claims (and Pay Refunds) In More Countries

Posted by timothy on from the bathing-in-lawyer-saliva dept.

redletterdave writes "After the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) won a battle with Apple after alleging the Cupertino-based company was misleading customers about its third-generation iPad, authorities in other countries are now assessing the compatibility of the new iPad with local 4G LTE networks to see if their customers should deserve refunds too. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) confirmed on Tuesday that it is investigating complaints of Apple's misleading '4G' claim, while Sweden and Denmark are also reportedly considering investigations, after agencies within both countries received 'several complaints' from customers about 4G connectivity. Even though these countries carry broad LTE coverage, the new iPad isn't supported on any of those networks."

5 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. 4G does not yet exist by imagined.by · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Currently, there's not a single commercial 4G network deployed anywhere on the planet. LTE is officially 3.9G, so every manufacturer or carrier that advertises 4G is bullshitting just as much as Apple. Which doesn't make it better, but still.

  2. Re:They need to rethink 4G claims in the USA, too by teh31337one · · Score: 5, Informative

    Funny story: When the iPad on AT&T displays "4G", it's connecting to HSDPA or HSPA+. When it shows "LTE", it's connecting to 4G LTE.

  3. Re:Look at the actual adverts... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/

    Ultra-fast 4G. Full speed ahead.

    Designed with next-generation wireless technology, the new iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G connects to fast data networks around the world.

  4. Re:But in the ads by moronoxyd · · Score: 5, Informative

    It specifically says which LTE networks are supported. Is the new standard for ads now to be that only the largest print claims count?

    If they sell their iPad in $country saying it 'supports LTE' than yes, as a customer I expect to be able to use LTE in THAT COUNTRY. Putting in the fine print 'only if your in the US or Canada' is misleading advertisement.

    That may not be a problem in the US, but in other parts of the world, especially in Europe, ads are expected to be truthful and not misleading. Trying to wiggle out by using the fine print to basically negate the statments you make in big letters may run afoul to consumer protection.

    And I still wonder: Why did Apple use a chipset that only supports the LTE frequencies used in the US and Canada? There are chipsets that support the other frequencies.
    Would it have been to expensive to build two or three different models for different markets? Would it have been to expensive to use a chipset that supports all frequencies (assuming such a beast exists)?
    Or is it just once again the America-centric world view that Apple (and other companies) have shown more than once in the past?

  5. Re:Look at the actual adverts... by MightyYar · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yeah, that is misleading - even if it dose say at the bottom:

    4G LTE is supported only on AT&T and Verizon networks in the US, and on Bell, Rogers and Telus networks in Canada. Data plans sold separately. See your carrier for details.

    It implies that 4G will work "around the world", yet it only works in the US and Canada... not even the UK market where this is advertised. The Australian page has the exact same copy.

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