Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Australian Regulators Targeting Apple Over '4G' Marketing Claims on New iPad
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
see why didn't apple just produce loads of '3G' stickers and stick them over the '4G' then on all the websites just use '3G' instead of '4G'?
I mean they already produced millions of those stickers if they just called it the 'wifi+3G' it would be a perfect solution.
Not really. You cannot globally advertise a feature that only works in ONE country without telling the customers so. That's bordering on fraud. When you buy a product that is being advertised in country ABC as being LTE-/4G-compatible, you expect that this feature works in country ABC. When you notice after the purchase that in fact this product is only compatible with the LTE-standard of country XYZ, you rightfully feel betrayed.
Cellular connectivity options are such a mess right now in the U.S. that I don't blame Australia for trying to force some clarity to the issue and compelling Apple to properly label these iPads.
In the less regulated U.S. we know perfectly well how confused people get between 3G, 4G and LTE. This is because carriers and manufacturers are allowed to slap any label they wish on a product for marketing purposes.
What perfectly illustrates the confusion is when Apple updated the software on the iPhone 4s and poof! Suddenly the data connection everyone was using was relabeled "4G". There are intelligent people who actually thought the update activated some dormant chip on their phone.
In the less regulated U.S. we know perfectly well how confused people get between 3G, 4G and LTE. This is because carriers and manufacturers are allowed to slap any label they wish on a product for marketing purposes.
What perfectly illustrates the confusion is when Apple updated the software on the iPhone 4s and poof! Suddenly the data connection everyone was using was relabeled "4G". There are intelligent people who actually thought the update activated some dormant chip on their phone.
True, but that doesn't look like marketing material. I think that's what the regulators are discussing here.
This is really only an issue for people reading only titles though, and not actually looking up what the device does. Apple even has a footnote (including on the Australian website) telling the limitations of its 4G support.
There's no doubt a question to what Apple would otherwise market this one as, if not 4G capable when it is in certain countries. "WiFi + 3G" with a footnote that it can do more than 3G in some places causes the same problem, only in reverse.
I completely agree. Actively advertising nonexistent functionality is false advertising, and should not be allowed. The fact that the iPad can connect to American 4G networks is meaningless to most customers around the planet.
If the Prius were marketed as it is now in the U.S., but you could only charge it using the Japanese electrical grid, Toyota would be sued to bankruptcy by American consumers. Doesn't matter that you could still run it on petrol. Same thing here.
And please, no apples and oranges jokes.
If the Prius were marketed as it is now in the U.S., but you could only charge it using the Japanese electrical grid, Toyota would be sued to bankruptcy by American consumers. Doesn't matter that you could still run it on petrol. Same thing here.
And please, no apples and oranges jokes.
Totally agree with this post. I'm the first to say that the world has gone mad with litigation over the smallest thing stifling innovation for what are usually ridiculous claims.
However, in this case (and remember, no-one has mentioned litigation yet) I think our friends Down Under have a very valid point (although this doesn't mean I want you to win the Ashes next time round). If the product won't work on 4G even when it comes out (as is the case here in the UK) then the marketing is wrong and needs to be changed.
It doesn't seem like it would take much for Apple to ship an alternate 4G model for international frequencies. Though I do wonder if the emerging 4G networks worldwide require higher power receivers due to higher speeds?
US 4G is said to be closer to Europe 3G+/3.5, both marketing terms really, but if on a technical level a more powerful device was needed for 4G networks outside of North America then.. well having done about 3 full charges on my new iPad I can understand why Apple didn't want any more power drain than necessary. The device can't handle it, and given the immature state of 4G networks (plus loose marketing regulations) I'm glad they put in the retina display instead. Because if 4G were truly in demand right now retina could probably be made to wait.
US 4G is said to be closer to Europe 3G+/3.5, both marketing terms really, but if on a technical level a more powerful device was needed for 4G networks outside of North America then.. well having done about 3 full charges on my new iPad I can understand why Apple didn't want any more power drain than necessary. The device can't handle it, and given the immature state of 4G networks (plus loose marketing regulations) I'm glad they put in the retina display instead. Because if 4G were truly in demand right now retina could probably be made to wait.
I figured apple to be one not to promote misleading adverts; Steve would never have allowed it.
Worst yet my friends with 4S's now say "look I have 4G!" and I just want to smack them in the face for their insolence
Worst yet my friends with 4S's now say "look I have 4G!" and I just want to smack them in the face for their insolence
OOoops.
I wonder if Apple has manpower to correctly inform marketing the mess of cellular data compatibilities across the world, and US?
I wonder if Apple has manpower to correctly inform marketing the mess of cellular data compatibilities across the world, and US?
Sorry, but your information is out of date. The ITU renamed LTE to LTE-Advanced and added LTE (non-Advanced) and HSPA+ to the "4G" bin years ago. Mostly because all the carriers were complaining that LTE Advanced is so far away and they wanted something to push their marketing now.
Is that a good reason? No. But that's the way of things.
Not trying to antagonize, but why can't they call it that? 4G is just a stupid marketing buzzword at this point.
This isn't about people being greedy, no one is suing. Apple are advertising a feature in a product very actively when this feature is only available in America and Canada. The rest of the world is being sold something they can't even use. I really think Americans actually believe they are the only country in the world sometimes.
I have to agree. Flashing 4G capability in large font, then clarifying *with 1pt font is very deceptive. Even though definitions between 3G & 4G are blurred, 4G is understood as the upper limit of data speeds, which is what people think they're getting.
Last edited:
The problem with the new iPad is that it supports only 700MHz and 2.1GHz cellular frequencies, the ones used in the US. In Europe we use 800MHz or 2.6GHz for 4G, so the new iPad will work only with 3G networks here. I guess the same applies to Australia.
So It's an iPad 3G, not 4G, unless you take a trip to the US.
Nope. More like: Excellent Image Quality: Full HD1
1) HD image available only when used with one particular cable provider from Singapore; in other countries you get SD only.
So It's an iPad 3G, not 4G, unless you take a trip to the US.
Nope. More like: Excellent Image Quality: Full HD1
1) HD image available only when used with one particular cable provider from Singapore; in other countries you get SD only.
I agree with you, currently, Telstra has the only 4G network (LTE), it barely even covers, what, 2% of the Australian population? So, given that, the iPad is NOT compatible with Telstra's implementation (1,800MHz?). Optus is _years_ away from their 700MHz (new iPad 4G "compatible) network.
I think the ACCC has every right to pull Apple up on this - Telstra 4G LTE network will NEVER work with the new iPad, Optus only will.
On top of that, until 2015 when the other 4G frequencies are legally opened, we won't be seeing many other compatible providers becoming "iPad compatible" either....
If a TV advertised itself as HD but was incapable of receiving any HD broadcasts in that country, that would be misleading. If your TV is incapable of receiving HD broadcasts because you live out in the middle of nowhere, don't get OTA reception and have chosen not to get cable or satellite, that's your problem. Besides, you could always hook up a Blu-ray player, Xbox 360, Apple TV, whatever, and view HD content.
No it's not the same. A car can legally go 200 mph on a track. There is nowhere in Australia where an iPad can be used on a 4G network
This will help people outside Australia understand this case:
1. In Australia the only publicly accessible 4G LTE network (Telstra's) runs on the 1800MHz spectrum. The iPad 3 is not compatible with this spectrum.
2. There are compatible HSPA+ networks active but NO carriers in Australia have marketed them as 4G networks.
3. NO other manufacturers of other HSPA+ products retailed in Australia have represented them as 4G compatible products.
4. Given the above situation in Australia, a consumer is likely to be misled when they see a iPad 3 retailed as Wifi + 4G in Australia.
5. The regulator involved in this case - the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) only takes legal action as a last resort. Apple would have had to refuse to sufficiently address the ACCC's concerns when the ACCC contacted them.
1. In Australia the only publicly accessible 4G LTE network (Telstra's) runs on the 1800MHz spectrum. The iPad 3 is not compatible with this spectrum.
2. There are compatible HSPA+ networks active but NO carriers in Australia have marketed them as 4G networks.
3. NO other manufacturers of other HSPA+ products retailed in Australia have represented them as 4G compatible products.
4. Given the above situation in Australia, a consumer is likely to be misled when they see a iPad 3 retailed as Wifi + 4G in Australia.
5. The regulator involved in this case - the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) only takes legal action as a last resort. Apple would have had to refuse to sufficiently address the ACCC's concerns when the ACCC contacted them.
Last edited:
Clarification- Telstra markets their LTE as 4G.
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/coverage-networks/network-information/4g/
So we have a situation where two companies are using fuzzy definitions for 4G, and one company is being singled out for not connecting to the other.
I'm on Apple's side this time.
PS: iPad 'new' has got download speeds on Telstra up to 30Mbps (real benchmarks).
All customers claiming they were "mislead" should be able to return the device, right? It pretty clearly states on the Austrailian site before you order that it won't be 4G on any local sites only when traveling and then specifically which networks. What more do they want? Consumers have a responsibility, too. Siding with Apple on this one.