The ACCC earlier made an application to the Federal Court in Melbourne for orders against Apple for alleged contraventions of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACCC alleges that Apple’s recent promotion of the new “iPad with WiFi + 4G” is misleading. Over on which the Cupertino-based iPad maker offered its new iPad buyers in Australia the opportunity to get a full refund. The main question that come the sigh is how and why Apple tries to redefine the meaning of 4G.
According to The Australian, Apple argues that:
The descriptor ‘4G’ … conveys to consumers in Australia that the iPad with WiFi + 4G will deliver a superior level of service in terms of data transfer speed (consistent with accepted industry and regulatory use of that term), and not that the iPad with WiFi + 4G is compatible with any particular network technology promoted by a particular mobile service provider in Australia.
The ACCC believes the branding of the device as “iPad Wi-Fi + 4G” in Australia is misleading to consumers because the new iPad cannot access any 4G LTE networks in Australia. As a result, the commission is trying to have Apple rename the device. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that planned communication and discussion between the two groups came and went without any decision being reached. Although Apple agreed to contact people who had bought an iPad to make sure they knew they could have money refunded.
What Apple seems to be trying to do is to add-on “4G” but with different definition that is something not feasible at any stage resulting in ACCC to filed application against Federal court and let the company understand what the “misleading” activity they are doing.
