Apple iPad and "4G": did we really lap this up?

by William Maher | Wednesday 28 March 2012

Opinion: By now you'd think we'd be cynical, or maybe many Australians are sitting ducks when it comes to the next big thing.

When you're dealing with the "next big thing" in technology you treat any big claims with a grain of salt.

Today, another reminder - the court action over allegations by the ACCC that Apple misled in their promotion of the new "iPad with WiFi + 4G", when it is not compatible with 4G networks in Australia.

You'd think we've been stung enough times that we've learnt to be skeptical about this sort of thing.

Take the business about iPhone 4 reception back in 2010. Then there was Optus in trouble over advertising for "unlimited" broadband. There's been plenty of exaggerated laptop battery life claims, Microsoft promising "wow" with Windows Vista, "HD Ready" TVs, potentially confusing contrast ratios, HDMI cable labeling … and on and on.

People have a bad experience. They do more research the next time. We've been conditioned to react a certain way. Don't take technology marketing at face value. With the new iPad, there were stories all over the place explaining the 4G compatibility situation in Australia.

But maybe it's one thing for enthusiasts to know, and another to think that people who don't follow this stuff as a hobby will too.

The technology world dishes out claims like "fastest", "lightest", "smallest", "most powerful" and "first" with abandon. And confusion isn't always their fault. Given the complex nature and variables that can effect any one claim - whether it be CPU benchmark results, wireless speeds, laptop performance, battery life - the truth is usually more complicated than the tagline.

What Apple's decision to use the term "4G" on its Australian web site (even though the site doesn't explicitly say the new iPad will work with 4G networks in Australia) brings to a head is the use of catch-all marketing terms when the reality is more complicated to explain. Just read this account by The Australian of Apple's lawyers explaining how the use of "4G" is justified - things are far from clear. It's something that's been happening in the US, but has also arguably occured in Australia.

Whether it's technically correct and whether lots of people care, are two different things. No doubt a fair portion of Apple faithful are enjoying the new iPad's dual channel HSPA+ and not looking back.

For everyone else, it just shows why it's useful to treat technology marketing with a bit of skepticism.

See more about: apple | accc | ipad | 4g | court

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GuiGuy 28 March 2012	Those I know who have iPads are not what I'd call technically advanced. WHich is one of the reasons they buy Apple. Jeez, I'd never by an Apple product for myself but I'd not hesitate to recommend it to those who think a byte hurts. At a personal level, I argued with one of my neighbours the other day; he was going to buy the new iPad because finally "he'd be able to get decent internet speeds". It took me some time to convince him that his iPad would not connect to Telstra's latest and greatest. Nevermind, I'm sure most of the industry's sales people were trained in car yards anyway. Cheers Acer Bic. Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article: Apple iPad and "4G": did we really lap this up?? Opinion: By now you'd think we'd be cynical, or maybe many Australians are sitting ducks when it comes to the next big thing. What do you think? Join the discussion.
photohounds 28 March 2012	I believe the 'old' Samsung Galaxy and some of their tablets now being sold DO use 4g correctly. Having said that 4g will cost many compulsive surfers a pretty penny. Fast speed means more can be consumed. It will surprise no one to learn that there's a correlation between connection speed and how much data is used (and by implication, billed).
zeds_place 28 March 2012	most of my friends and relatives would not have a clue about tech - unfortunately, if i can't in a simple manner talk them out of buying over-claimed tech, they'll buy it anyway and wonder why they didn't get what they thought they were getting. unfortunately apple seems to be the worst for this: constantly stating "worlds most advanced io", high speed, ummm magical, faster speeds than gaming consoles etc - none of it reasonably substantiated and yet no-one takes them up on it. the people that don't buy apple generally can't test it, the people that do generally don't understand it. don't get me wrong, i find the products useful - among my other machines, i have both MB Pro (which i boot to windows for real work) and iPad 2 for browsing and emails while away, but i do understand their limitations and false claims, and i do research thoroughly before i buy.
DJ... 28 March 2012	A lot depends upon how you define "4G". It could easily be argued that Telstra's "4G" doesn't really meet the international definition of 4G in that they are not using standard 4G frequencies. Soon other telcos will launch real 4G networks on the internationally recognised frequencies and then the iPad will meet the advertising requirement. So why should Apple be punished just because Telstra wants to have a local definition of 4G, one that will be out of step with 4G networks of other providers?
photohounds 28 March 2012	If you sell in a country, you obey the standards maybe? How bloody hard would it have been to add a (software programmable) extra frequency?
zeds_place 28 March 2012	DJ, my understanding is that it is only the US that uses that specific 4G frequency - no other countries, UK Europe etc. so the tablet is designated 4G for one country only but dispersed worldwide - based on my research a couple of months ago anyway, which is why i stuck to the iPad 2 rather than upgrade.
zeds_place 28 March 2012	they could have just nominated "4G ready" like the old "HD Ready" we had with TV's. might've got them out of a pickle.
rubaiyat 28 March 2012	GuiGuy wrote: Those I know who have iPads are not what I'd call technically advanced. WHich is one of the reasons they buy Apple. Jeez, I'd never by an Apple product for myself but I'd not hesitate to recommend it to those who think a byte hurts. At a personal level, I argued with one of my neighbours the other day; he was going to buy the new iPad because finally "he'd be able to get decent internet speeds". It took me some time to convince him that his iPad would not connect to Telstra's latest and greatest. Nevermind, I'm sure most of the industry's sales people were trained in car yards anyway. Cheers Acer Bic. The less mentally advanced are those that put up with the PC crap. Having bitten back as I am obliged to do because Apple is holding my first born hostage and has spiked my watersupply, The new iPad is actually faster, just not as fast as if it had the 4G connection which is unavailable. Despite that most of the people on the Aussie Apple websites I frequent are pissing on Apple for misleading the mostly innocent iPad purchasers (either Mac users or the generally dumber PC users). Particularly as Apple is a repeat offender on this. They did the same thing with the iTunes Store which did not even exist for the 1st 2 years of it being promoted in Australia. I upbraded an Apple Australia executive about this and her attitude was that I should simply keep quiet. Told her that wasn't going to happen, how about just modifying the local advertising to better approximate the local reality. Needless to say she didn't seem to think being honest was good business practice. PS Just had to help the "more technically advanced" PC Users next to me in this Internet Cafe print out from Windows. Now if I only had a dollar for every time I have had to pull a PC User out of the shit... Edited by rubaiyat: 28/3/2012 07:26:50 PM
petergaskin 28 March 2012	I am not in the market for a new ipad. I do know that the 4g does not work in Australia.
j876 29 March 2012	Quoting: rubaiyat "PS Just had to help the "more technically advanced" PC Users next to me in this Internet Cafe print out from Windows. Now if I only had a dollar for every time I have had to pull a PC User out of the shit..." Hey rubaiyat if I had a dollar for every iPhone and iPad I had to fix because the highly intellegent Apple user wiped it by mistake I would have fair bit of cash too! If Apple users are so smart how come I repeatedly see idiots camping outside Apple stores freezing their rear ends off every time a new iPad/iPhone comes out. You have to admit that these people are a few sandwiches short of a picnic!
ory_zm 29 March 2012	Let's just agree that all users are dumb and call it a day.
rubaiyat 29 March 2012	J876 I'll happily point out the many dumb arse Apple users I run into, but honestly the recent converts and innumerable PC users who can scarcely bang two rocks together really do take the cake. There is this oft repeated claim that PC users are more technically capable just because PCs are worse designs. I know of many PC users who are afraid to switch to something better because they are so scared by their PCs and at least 3 who simply sell their PCs when they go wrong and get a new one. One of those three finally got a Mac a few years ago and despite her previous technophobia is now happily doing productive real complex work. Needless to say she has never been impelled to sell her Mac, nor has she ever asked for or needed any extensive support other then my sit down instructions to output her lengthy multiple personalised reports so they came out pre collated on her printer.
photohounds 29 March 2012	rubaiyat wrote: J876 [snip] ... simply sell their PCs when they go wrong and get a new one. One of those three finally got a Mac a few years ago and despite her previous technophobia is now happily doing productive real complex work. Needless to say she has never been impelled to sell her Mac, nor has she ever asked for or needed any extensive support other then my sit down instructions to output her lengthy multiple personalised reports so they came out pre collated on her printer. So she cut her teeth on a PC, took that knowledge (and yours) to another platform. Therefore I can see that it follows that it is the PLATFORM that gets all the credit. Nice Spin.
rubaiyat 29 March 2012	How on earth did you come to THAt conclusion?
ory_zm 29 March 2012	Why does every article here ends up with an Apple-PC or Apple-Android bash?! I don't get it...
rubaiyat 29 March 2012	What do you mean ends up? It started with the usual tedious Apple/Apple User bashing.
photohounds 29 March 2012	rubaiyat wrote: What do you mean ends up? It started with the usual tedious Apple/Apple User bashing. No it started with a rabid fan taking exception ot another poster's opinion experience ... Someone who gets burnt a few times, deserves credit for that learning. They COULD have been burn t on MACS and now like PCs - of course that NEVER happens. Some wish to apportion that skill and experience elsewhere ... very repetitive I would say. Me? I'm on the fence - I like Linux - the freedom to change what I want/need to ... And I KNOW it isn't for everyone ...
rubaiyat 30 March 2012	GuiGuy wrote: Those I know who have iPads are not what I'd call technically advanced. WHich is one of the reasons they buy Apple. Jeez, I'd never by an Apple product for myself but I'd not hesitate to recommend it to those who think a byte hurts. I am fully behind Apple's advertising is bloody deceptive and not the first time they have done this. I've blasted them multiple times. But in my considerable experience of users of all persuasions, frightened PC users do take the cake. I understand their fears but not their failure to do something about it. The case I gave of the PC user, who had put up with bad experiences for 15 years, before her first sensible decision and getting a Mac is a classic example of a non-technical person getting nowhere until finally getting a computer that largely "Just Works". Once she was on the Mac she was able to at last do more than just the basics. In fact much much more. I remember my fathers' first car a Renault Dauphine, which broke down incessantly and still had a crank for the inevitable failures to start. That did not make my Dad a mechanic, despite the time he spent head buried in the boot of the car (it was rear engined). It certainly did not help his temper. Later more reliable cars made family outings much more enjoyable, reliable and frequent. PC users like to grab onto the necessity of dealing with quite unnecessary problems as a badge of superiority. I see it as one of desperation and lack of common sense. Like someone whose pants keep falling around their ankles claiming to have a "PhD in Suspender Engineering" when all they do is spend a lot of time exchanging purchases in the old farts section of DJ's menswear.
ory_zm 30 March 2012	Good story bro. If we are telling stories I could also tell the one about my mother in law that got a mac from work and used it for almost a year however could not figure out how to do things on it (not very technical) and came and asked me to buy her a windows machine cause she can't handle it any more... Each to their own, I can't handle macs but I know some people find them awesome, good for them. What is the point of this discussion? none of us is going to get convinced, it feels as if people just feel an urgent need to express their opinions... quite futile and silly really.
rubaiyat 1 April 2012	Well if she couldn't "figure out how to do things" I can understand that. :P "Things" are pretty much the PC department. :D
ory_zm 1 April 2012	Sorry didn't get your meaning.
rubaiyat 2 April 2012	Guess that's one of those "things" then.
ory_zm 2 April 2012	Guess I don't know why I even bother with you.