WSJ: Other Nations May Join Australia in Charging Apple with False 4G Claims

[Michael Essany]

As MMi reported Tuesday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) threatened to take Apple to court in response to the iPad maker's bold claims about the 4G-ready third-generation tablet. As it turns out, Apple didn't notify Australians to an adequate degree (says the ACCC) that the new iPad isn't yet compatible with Australia's 4G network.

As Phillip Swanson subsequently reported, Apple endeavored to quickly resolve the matter by arguing that "it was never specified the iPad could connect to Telstra’s network, but told the court the device is compatible with other networks that by international standards are deemed 4G."

For now, confused, dissatisfied, or frustrated customers still have the option of returning their new iPad.

Additionally, as if Apple doesn't have its hands adequately filled with this Australian matter, today comes word that The Swedish Consumer Agency and officials in the United Kingdom are similarly looking into the veracity of Apple's 4G claims in their respective nations.

From today's Wall Street Journal:

Apple doesn’t have a Swedish office, so the consumer agency would have to take any complaint to the company’s European head office in Ireland, were it to conclude that the advertising is misleading. The Swedish complaints mirror similar criticism in Australia, where Apple expected to defend its right to market the iPad as 4G in court in May.

Through it all, Apple is standing by its ads. Apple's online stores in Australia and Sweden haven't revised the "Wi-Fi + 4G" language of the new iPad's promotional content, although a tiny little disclaimer is wedged beneath the big bold pictures of the new tablet. The disclaimer reads: "The iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G model can roam worldwide on fast GSM/UMTS networks, including HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA. When you travel internationally, you can use a micro-SIM card from a local carrier. You can also connect to the 4G LTE networks of AT&T in the U.S. and Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada."

Source: The Wall Street Journal

[KraXik]

You would have thought Apple has the marketing budget to cater for each country rather than just a copy/paste for the entire globe.

[jbardi]

You would have thought Apple has the marketing budget to cater for each country rather than just a copy/paste for the entire globe.

You would think these countries watch tv ads, have Internet to do research and aren't such whining babies to buy a device soley on its 4G capabilities. This is just more anti-apple people padding themselves for a lawsuit and has nothing to do with their horror over apparently being misled.

[lkailburn]

I'd beg to differ. After watching all the commercials and ads everywhere who would guess they would have to do third party research(outside of apple) just to find out if it was compatible with their local network despite the ads stating otherwise. I think the majority of people would assume the ads were geographically accurate.

[partean]

You would have thought Apple could produce an iPad with an 1800mhz chip set for us Aussies. Until that happens I will not be upgrading and if Apple doesn't get it together I might be force over to the dark side, the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tab does support the Australian 4g network.

[emerica6708]

You would think these countries watch tv ads, have Internet to do research and aren't such whining babies to buy a device soley on its 4G capabilities. This is just more anti-apple people padding themselves for a lawsuit and has nothing to do with their horror over apparently being misled.

Exactly, I knew that Australian 4G wasn't compatible with the new iPad from the start.

[Ozdude]

You would have thought Apple has the marketing budget to cater for each country rather than just a copy/paste for the entire globe.

I'd beg to differ. After watching all the commercials and ads everywhere who would guess they would have to do third party research(outside of apple) just to find out if it was compatible with their local network despite the ads stating otherwise. I think the majority of people would assume the ads were geographically accurate.

+1 100% agreed and well put!

You would have thought Apple could produce an iPad with an 1800mhz chip set for us Aussies. Until that happens I will not be upgrading and if Apple doesn't get it together I might be force over to the dark side, the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tab does support the Australian 4g network.

I'm thinking in a similar vein, at the moment based on usage, why am I going to not still stay with my iPad 1!


For other readers out there, I feel I may help to re-quote myself from my comments yesterday on this topic, minus the specific comments that I was responding to. Glad a bunch of these countries are banding together to take a stand on this it's def not difficult to understand the 'joe average' non IT saavy iPad target market not realising the specifics of the different international 4G spectrums across the globe.. To the consumer, concepts like 4G or 3G are over-arching broad terms, that in this case, unfort oversimplify what is not a globally compatible data delivery system.

Nice one. You obv are unaware of the fact Australia does actually indeed have 4G rolled out! The issue is that Apple choose to conveniently not incorporate an 1800mhz chipset for Australia and many other countries 4G networks, leaving basically only US and Canada as being compatible. Hardly around the frigging world is it, unless your some insular 'America is the world' type of person Apple do indeed deserve the big slap on the wrist they got here for that kind of 'global' lazy and misleading marketing.

Kind of the fact that the world's carriers who do support 4G aren't using the singly supported 700mhz spectrum, there are 4 different 4G frequencies at the moment globally. Also, that it's got nothing to do with the carriers choice in many countries,as in here in Australia for example, the 700mhz freq is already allocated by the Communications Authority to analogue TV until it is shut down in the next few years!