“Apple has added more prominent text to its online store in Australia, informing consumers that the 4G version of the new iPad does not work with LTE networks in that country,” AppleInsider reports.
“‘This product supports very fast cellular networks,’ the new disclaimer reads,” AppleInsider reports. “It is stated prominently above the the 4G LTE models in Apple’s online store. ‘It is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks. For service from a wireless carrier, sign up for a simple, month-by-month plan on your iPad and cancel anytime without penalty.'”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Sweden looking into complaints over Apple marketing iPad as ’4G’ (incompatible networks in Sweden) – March 29, 2012
Apple offers full refunds, corrective signs over ’4G’ iPads in Australia – March 28, 2012
Australian watchdog to seek orders against Apple for alleged ‘misleading’ iPad 4G claims – March 27, 2012
I don’t see the problem. Our Telstra 3G service delivers a constant 23mbps up which is faster than US “4G” networks. USA are only using 3.8G so far, it’s not even 4G in USA yet so why all the whining? I bet only a few will take their iPads back for a refund.
Phil the 3 1/2G networks (HSPA+) in the US achieve 23mbps the real 4G (LTE) are much faster than that. (40 down 15 up are common)
I sympathize:
It is very odd that Apple never, even now, customized the new iPad (3) hardware for Australian 3G (fake 4G) carriers. They just tossed the US models into the Australian market, buyer beware. That is VERY lame marketing, not at all what I would expect from Apple. That’s simply not done! 😯 Apparently Apple need to invest a bit more into Australian specific marketing if only to make it clear to Aussies exactly what they’re buying.
As for the 4G marketing blether, I do NOT sympathize. It’s all 3G kids, despite blahblah to the contrary. Watch for LTE Advanced this year, REAL 4G.
Derek LTE is real 4G it’s just not running as fast as it will. The 3 1/2G being called 4G was started by tMobile who began calling thier HSPA+ netwrok 4G. Even though AT&T had HSPA+ they didn’t call it 4G and so people were tricked into thinking T mobiles phones were operating faster (which wasn’t true) AT&T had no choice but to also call it HSPA+ service “4G”
Both Verizon and AT&T have fairly wide deployment of true 4G (LTE) networks (Sprint is reporting that they will have (only) 6 cities covered (LTE) by this spring) that operate at home wifi like speeds (40mbps) the only trouble with wireless networks this fast is that you can burn through data extremely rapidly at 40mbps making 1 or even 3 GB caps seem ridiculously low.
LTE Advanced will be real 4G. Go look up 4G tech on Wikipedia for this history on what’s going on. The ONLY reason that this early version of LTE is being allowed to be called “4G” is because the standards organization relented after being HAMMERED by the marketing morons at the mobile phone companies. Anyone can read the actual 4G standard. Go read it. The current version of LTE doesn’t qualify. LTE Advanced will. This current ‘4G’ crap is merely a marketing moron ploy. NONE of the current ‘4G’ phones will be compatible with finished 4G standard technology. That’s a ripoff. That’s more of the same old Spirit Of The Age: Screw Thy Customer.
Well I agree to a point with that. The 4G standard is (or, originally was) 100mbps. But think about that for a minute That is triple what most home users are getting (wired) so I am not sure how realistic declaring a 10X (from standard HSPA) as the next (4G) generation really was. The 4X they have now (over GSM HSPA with 4G LTE) is actually more realistic (and seems like fast wifi (in case you havn’t played with a 4G ipad yet))
The far greater crime is t-mobile advertising their 23mbps HSPA+ (3g) network with crap android phones as 4G (for a year now)
I had admired AT&T for sticking to their guns and NOT calling enhanced HSPA “4g” but they have finally caved (hence the 4s SW revision that now identifies HSPA+ as “4G”
I guess they felt had no choice….
The whining is the confusion with the average consumer who is not very interested in cellular network protocols.
If you live outside of the US and get/have a 4G plan it will not work with Apples falsely labeled “4G” product.
So by labelling a 3G product as 4G Apple is losing consumer trust.
With Apple marketing obviously misleading they are sending consumers to the “IT-experts” – and we all know they will recommend anything … but Apple. Like a Samsung tablet which actually *do* support 4G.
Apple can very simply correct this confusion by changing “4G” into “3G” outside the US. They can even say “3G with 4G speeds” but at the moment they say “WiFi + 4G” which is wrong – when the consumers get a 4G plan it doesnt work.
Dude do you want to go through life with a “dimwit apple hater” sign on your forehead? Because that is about all you have achieved here.
You need to fine a more positive cause to channel your directionless rage toward.
i don’t read directionless rage here. Apple’s iOS products are global now and they will have to sort out some of these issues or risk pissing off good customers. no worries — they will.
Nice try constructing a strawman, but the fact is that the 4G LTE implemented in the ipad is a worls standard. Just because some ozzie telecom uses nonstandard frequences, dosen’t mean apple is going to produce a “special” iPad just for you.
There have a similar situation in the US with the Deutsche Telekom owned T-mobile. They are using nonstandard frequencies for their 3G (and for what they are calling 4G (which isn’t actually 4G at all, it’s just 23mbps 3G HSPA+)
Other manufactures are catering to them (producing special phones to be sold on t-mobile.) because they see the telcos as their primary customers. (rather than their actual customers, the end users)
The clearer warning on the Oz site hasn’t yet appeared on the NZ site (it’s only there in a footnote). Ironic, insofar as there is at least a facsimile of 4G in Oz. NZ is 3G only.
This 4G thing outside of the US wasn’t the smartest marketing move by Apple. They need to be squeaky clean on these details, because the Apple haters are always eager to pounce on any hint of misrepresentation.
Very true.
Apple is having problems with this in Norway and Scandinavia too. And, no, the problem is not “Apple haters”, the problem is Apple not being accurate and honest in their marketing. Most of us really love Apples products (personally I have had Macs since 1990, and iPods and iPhones and …). We are not so happy when someone is lying to us, though …
They did not lie to anyone nor were they dishonest. The capabilities are clearly stated. Whether or not 4G LTE can be achieved in all areas, the iPad is still capable in some regions and with some carriers and contains the needed hardware for doing so. Hence, the name iPad Wi-Fi + 4G.
Take the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G. I would suspect that in some areas speeds were only 2G because of coverage. That does not mean the iPad was not capable of it and/or did not have the necessary hardware.
JimR,
I think that at least in part – the blame lies with US cell phone carriers. They’re eager to call their networks 4G – but in reality they’re lying to US consumers. None of the US carriers have a ‘real’ 4G network. At least not by IEEE / international standards.
That is my understanding as well Kev.