The Advertising Standards Authority is questioning Apple’s use of 4G LTE as a legitimate feature of the iPad in the United Kingdom. While the rollout of LTE technology is moving along quickly in the United States and Canada, in the UK, almost no one has access to it yet Apple still advertises certain models of the iPad to have that capability.
A letter from one complainant in the matter said that Apple had “advised us that no further reference to the 4G capabilities of the iPad will be made on their UK website,” but later found out that Apple still does advertise it on the Buy Now page. On the page listing the new iPad’s features, however, Apple has removed any type of reference to LTE or even 4G. In America, the appropriate section reads “Built with the latest in wireless technology, the new iPad lets you connect to fast data networks around the world — up to 4G LTE.” In the UK, that last bit about 4G LTE is nowhere to be found.
It seems that the problem now is just that one part of the Buy Now page that shows wireless models of the iPad as “WiFi + 4G”. That seems a bit nit-picky if you ask me, but the ASA wants all instances of 4G removed completely so there’s no confusion. Back in 2010, the HTC Evo 4G was advertised as such, yet only a select few metro areas in the United States were able to use the phone’s flagship feature.
[via BBC]