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%2B4g

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."

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.

Top Rated Comments

Saladinos Avatar
170 months ago
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?

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.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Therbo Avatar
170 months ago
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.

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.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eraserhead Avatar
170 months ago
3G coverage is dire in this country

Is it? Which countries is it better in?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Porco Avatar
170 months ago
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.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PhilipOrr Avatar
170 months ago
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/ (http://InfuriousRepublic.com/)
Twitter: @InfuriousLtd (http://twitter.com/#!/InfuriousLtd)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
babyj Avatar
170 months ago
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?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...