Last October, an internal AT&T talking point claimed that the carrier was working with Apple to have the iPhone 4S status bar display a "4G" indicator when the device is connected to an HSPA+ network.

With today's release of iOS 5.1, that change now appears to have gone into effect as shown in a photo posted to Twitter by @ichadman.

iphone 4g status bar
While short of the data speeds seen with LTE networks now rolling out, AT&T and other carriers have also referred to their HSPA+ networks using 4G as a marketing terms to distinguish the standard's faster performance relative to older 3G standards.

Top Rated Comments

Bill Gates Avatar
Bill Gates
127 months ago
Marketing BS.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
osxster Avatar
osxster
127 months ago
While HSPA+ is certainly not 4G nor is LTE. HSPA+ is faster on paper than LTE, so if you call LTE 4G you might as well call HSPA+ 4G.

LTE Advanced is the only spec that meets the definition of 4G, however that isn't out yet.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hazel Avatar
Hazel
127 months ago
Did it say HSPA+ before, or just 3G?

it said 3G previously.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmcrutch Avatar
jmcrutch
127 months ago
I got a large soda from a restaurant recently. It was half the size of the large I get at the movie theater. I'm so mad. That restaurant should not be allowed to call their large soda "large". Venti maybe, or Grande, but not Large.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tea-Aholic Avatar
Tea-Aholic
127 months ago
The proper 4G logo on the iPad 3 actually says "LTE".
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benji888 Avatar
benji888
127 months ago
HSPA+ does NOT = 4G! :mad:

The status bar should simply display 3G+ when it is HSPA+!!!!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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