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UK Continues Inquiry Into iPad 4G Advertising Claims

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In March, a number of regulatory organizations announced they were looking into Apple's advertising claims surrounding the 4G capabilities of the new iPad. The Advertising Standards Authority in the United Kingdom has announced it doesn't feel Apple has adjusted its iPad 4G advertising to comply with local laws, reports the BBC.

wifi+4g.jpg


Apple's UK site still offers consumers the chance to buy a "wi-fi + 4G" version of the iPad.

A footnote explains that "4G LTE" is supported only on certain networks in the United States and Canada.

The ASA said it had since been contacted by several complainants who had identified other "potentially problematic claims" about the iPad and 4G on the website.

"If it appears that the problem claims we asked Apple to remove are still appearing," the regulator said, "we will investigate these new complaints."
Click to expand...
4G networks haven't arrived in Britain yet, and when they do, the networks won't be supported by the new iPad. The iPad only connects to 4G LTE networks in Canada and the United States. Apple has been offering refunds to consumers who feel misled by the company's 4G claims.

The UK has strict regulation of advertising claims and Apple's marketing has been the subject of several decisions from the ASA. In 2008, the agency banned an iPhone ad over misleading claims, while a more recent decision regarding claims of the world's thinnest smartphone came down in Apple's favor. The ASA also ruled in Apple's favor earlier this year in a dispute over advertising for Siri on the iPhone 4S.

Article Link: UK Continues Inquiry Into iPad 4G Advertising Claims
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/01/uk-continues-inquiry-into-ipad-4g-advertising-claims/
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babyj

macrumors 6502a
Aug 29, 2006
586
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Looks like Apple have removed pretty much all the references to 4G and LTE except for in the online store where they refer to it as a "Wifi + 4G" model and in the technical specifications. Guess they haven't gone far enough.

Strangely they don't refer to 3G anywhere at all either and use UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA instead. Which will probable confuse people further.

Still can't believe they made such a mess of this, wonder who'll be in the firing line for it?
 
Porco

Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
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It's simply not a 4G device in the UK, and they shouldn't be calling it 4G in the UK. It's made even more stupid (in the screenshot shown) by plonking the logos of the UK carriers next to the 4G, none of whom will providing a 4G plan that works on this iPad. They might as well put Verizon and AT&T logos there if they're going to call it 4G.
 
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parish

parish

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2009
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Wilts., UK
Ha!! Why anyone's bothered about 4G support on the iPad in the UK I don't know.

3G coverage is dire in this country (and even 2G is far from brilliant). By the time we get halfway decent 4G coverage here the iPad 8 will be out and the US will have 6G.
 
charlieegan3

charlieegan3

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Feb 16, 2012
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babyj said:
...Strangely they don't refer to 3G anywhere at all either and use UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA instead. Which will probable confuse people further...
Click to expand...

so true. Telecom has so many different acronyms, which is fine, however it is not fine that all customers will benefit from knowing what they mean, which many don't.
 
T

Therbo

macrumors regular
Mar 25, 2011
114
0
United Kingdom
parish said:
Ha!! Why anyone's bothered about 4G support on the iPad in the UK I don't know.

3G coverage is dire in this country (and even 2G is far from brilliant). By the time we get halfway decent 4G coverage here the iPad 8 will be out and the US will have 6G.
Click to expand...

Well no, HSPA+ is also considered 4G in the US but in the UK its considered 3G. Even Three UK aren't using it as their rolling out their DC-HSPA, because people didn't want them to end up like the carriers in the US.

The UK had the first consumer 3G network (over 10 years ago), and if you look at Three UK, they cover pretty much most the country.

4G will come to the UK, but its probably going to be LTE-Advanced, which is true 4G.
 
Saladinos

Saladinos

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Feb 26, 2008
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babyj said:
Looks like Apple have removed pretty much all the references to 4G and LTE except for in the online store where they refer to it as a "Wifi + 4G" model and in the technical specifications. Guess they haven't gone far enough.

Strangely they don't refer to 3G anywhere at all either and use UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA instead. Which will probable confuse people further.

Still can't believe they made such a mess of this, wonder who'll be in the firing line for it?
Click to expand...

Agree. Why didn't they just call it WiFi + 3G outside of the supported 4G territories? It would have avoided this whole mess.

Either the 4G works and should be advertised as a selling point or it doesn't and shouldn't.
 
gnasher729

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
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What people need to understand however is that all the ASA does is to stop that advertisement. Usually the same advertisement will reappear with just the necessary changes.

By the way: "If it appears that the problem claims we asked Apple to remove are still appearing," the regulator said, "we will investigate these new complaints." Which means the UK isn't doing anything, but the ASA may do something.
 
parish

parish

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2009
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Eraserhead said:
Is it?
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Yes (unless you live inside the M25).

I live on the outskirts of a large town. I get 3G at home, but at the pub half a mile down the road I struggle to get any signal.

I work about 5 miles outside Bath - a city - and no-one (even Three customers) can get more than a poor 2G signal, and even then only in certain places and when the wind is blowing in the right direction.

Eraserhead said:
Which countries is it better in?
Click to expand...

Sweden for one. A very sparsely populated country (4 times the size of the UK with only 9m people, and half of them live in Gothenburg and Stockholm). We rented a house in the middle of a forest at least 30km from the nearest large town and even there we both got 3G most of the time and even when we couldn't we got EDGE.

I've also had better signals in Belgium and Holland.
 
S

Stig McNasty

macrumors regular
Sep 18, 2007
127
35
UK Mobile Coverage is shocking

Agreed. Unless you live in a big city 3G is iffy at best - it makes a complete mockery of anything in the Cloud. I can't even guarantee Google Maps will load on many journeys.

It's about time the Telecos spent some of their massive profits on new infrastructure instead of ever more dividends for their shareholders. Not that we have much choice, they're all the same! :(
 
AppleGuesser

AppleGuesser

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May 1, 2012
240
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Macon, GA
What is the big deal with 4G anyways? Even here in the states with AT&T, my iPad 4G only picks up 4G in major cities, outside of that, i am lucky to get great 3G speeds. How about companies focus on having a strong 3G coverage before trying to venture into the realm of 4G. Obviously, 3G isnt not maxed out in potential just yet :):apple:
 
P

PhilipOrr

macrumors member
Nov 7, 2007
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Northern Ireland
Once the Analogue Broadcast network is switched off in November, the comms spectrum will be sold off to the telcos for a nice premium. Even then, once the 4G network is in place, the UK will be using a different frequency network compared to the US, so it still won't work. Hope the iPhone 5, when released, will support multi frequency band switching to allow 4G in all countries.

Web: http://InfuriousRepublic.com/
Twitter: @InfuriousLtd
 
C

cambox

macrumors 6502
Jun 8, 2010
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omnipresent
Bath

parish said:
Yes (unless you live inside the M25).

I live on the outskirts of a large town. I get 3G at home, but at the pub half a mile down the road I struggle to get any signal.

I work about 5 miles outside Bath - a city - and no-one (even Three customers) can get more than a poor 2G signal, and even then only in certain places and when the wind is blowing in the right direction.


Sweden for one. A very sparsely populated country (4 times the size of the UK with only 9m people, and half of them live in Gothenburg and Stockholm). We rented a house in the middle of a forest at least 30km from the nearest large town and even there we both got 3G most of the time and even when we couldn't we got EDGE.

I've also had better signals in Belgium and Holland.
Click to expand...



I live in Bath and I'm on 02, the 3G signal is very weak, in fact if you are in Southgate and stand by the 02 store (next to the Apple store) you wont get 3G at all. When I asked the 02 Guru's why no signal, they say its because Southgate was made from stone and no 3G signal can penetrate stone? I think the only thing Apple and 02 are penetrating is our wallets!!
 
parish

parish

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2009
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cambox said:
When I asked the 02 Guru's why no signal, they say its because Southgate was made from stone and no 3G signal can penetrate stone?
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PMSL - the whole of Bath is built from Bath stone

Anyway, they have a strong Wi-Fi signal in the Apple Store :p
 
garybUK

garybUK

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Jun 3, 2002
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Not only that, when you are in a city, the backhaul is so over-saturated, the speeds are dire anyway.
 
charlituna

charlituna

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Jun 11, 2008
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Los Angeles, CA
babyj said:
Still can't believe they made such a mess of this, wonder who'll be in the firing line for it?
Click to expand...

no one. because it can do 4G. The issue isn't Apple but the other side. Tt's not Apple's fault if the carriers aren't pushing those speeds. After all, Apple says "up to 4G speeds" just like it says "up to 10 hours" for the battery.

next you'll try to blame them because your iPad can't get wifi at home unless you pay for internet service and they didn't make that 100% clear.
 
mw360

mw360

macrumors 68020
Aug 15, 2010
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charlituna said:
no one. because it can do 4G. The issue isn't Apple but the other side. Tt's not Apple's fault if the carriers aren't pushing those speeds. After all, Apple says "up to 4G speeds" just like it says "up to 10 hours" for the battery.

next you'll try to blame them because your iPad can't get wifi at home unless you pay for internet service and they didn't make that 100% clear.
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It can't do 4G, not without sending it on a 3000 mile journey to North America, which may invalidate some of the convenience of owning the device.

If it said Wifi on it, and was incompatible with current and future UK wifi frequencies then yes, there would be people in the UK blaming Apple for misleading advertising.

But you're right about one thing, no one will get the blame. It was obvious from day one what they were up to and somebody at the very top must have decided a slap on the wrist would be better that putting '3G' on it and letting the competition (such as it is) point and snigger.
 
Nightarchaon

Nightarchaon

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2010
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parish said:
Ha!! Why anyone's bothered about 4G support on the iPad in the UK I don't know.

3G coverage is dire in this country (and even 2G is far from brilliant). By the time we get halfway decent 4G coverage here the iPad 8 will be out and the US will have 6G.
Click to expand...


I have had nothing but superb 3G coverage, maybe you should move out of the "ass-end of nowhere" where obviously only you and the sheep live ?

Living in Manchester, and regularly traveling up and down the M6 and M1 to and from london, and even visiting Wales quite often (Static Caravan Park), the only 2 places i have suffered from 3G drop-outs have been in the deep welsh valleys, and for some reason, Urmston in manchester, but I'm assuming thats because of all the false hips in the area giving interference :-D
 
rbrian

rbrian

macrumors 6502a
Jul 24, 2011
784
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Aberdeen, Scotland
cambox said:
When I asked the 02 Guru's why no signal, they say its because Southgate was made from stone and no 3G signal can penetrate stone?
Click to expand...

I live in Aberdeen, which due to its stony composition is also known as the Granite City - and I get 6Mb 3G everywhere except inside Union Square - but that places saturated with wifi hotspots, so it's really not an issue.
 
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