AUSTRALIA: Apple rapped over advertising new iPad as 4G-capable
Australia's consumer watchdog has taken Apple to court for what it describes as "false advertising" because the tablet does not work on Australia's 4G network.
There were similar concerns when the device was launched in the UK on March 16th, as it will not work on the UK's proposed 4G network due next year either.
Apple has offered Australian customers a refund if they felt they were misled, and the firm's lawyers say they are willing to publish a clarification.
However, the company does not accept that it misled customers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says: "Apple's recent promotion of the new 'iPad with wi-fi + 4G' is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product can, with a sim card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case."
The watchdog has lodged a complaint at the Federal Court in Melbourne. The matter will go to a full trial on May 2nd.
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Comments
Yes, but they may choose to go for the wifi only model instead.
Are you for real? Edited by mods. Please don't use swear words.
'.....Apple has offered Australian customers a refund if they felt they were misled, and the firm's lawyers say they are willing to publish a clarification.'
I bet that only a very small percentage of Australian will return the iPad for a refund. Apple has established themself not solely on technology but also as a social status and must have product. sometimes people buy ipad to be among 'the crowd'
It all comes down to what a reasonable person would assume the device is capable of. If I live in Australia, and the product is sold in Australia, and the product is marketed in Australia as iPad with WiFi + 4G then it's reasonable to assume that I can use that device to connect to a 4G network in Australia.
I'm not bothered whether or not it can connect to a 4G network in another country. Why would that matter to me?
I think the UK advertising is even more misleading. Over here, on the iPad purchase page the UK network logos for Orange, Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile are positioned right next to the words 'iPad with WiFi + 4G'. That implies that I can connect to one of those networks over 4G when in fact none of them offer a 4G connection.
In the small print (in light grey text on white background) it does state what specific bands the device can connect to, but it doesn't state clearly that the 4G reference is specific to a foreign country.
That said I don't think Apple deliberaly intended to mislead here, neither do I think many people will take Apple up on their refund offer. Although it can't actually connect over 4G in most of the countries it's sold in, it can connect using the faster HSPA2 and DC-HSDPA 3G speeds, which the iPad 2 wasn't capable of, so there is still a benefit to buying the '4G' model.
Well, if they advertise in Australia, then they cannot say 4G capable. Apple will face more problems when 4G starts in UK.
omg how dumb are people, That not Apples fault and Apple are responsible for 3rd party company's that aren't upto date as they are.
It would only been the case in the UK if the 4G wasn't supported on the ipad then we would of anly moaned, but we still moaned because we didn't have a 4G network
its the same with all the DAB+ HiFi equipment, are we meant to take them to court ?
I agree with Apple on this. Fair enough if the 4G does not work in Australia, the device still has 4G capability, just not in Australia. The 4G capability Of an Auatralian iPad would still work in the USA. I'd agree with the Australians if the iPad was called "iPad with WiFi + Australian 4G" but it's not.