Australian judge approves $2.3M fine against Apple for 4G iPad marketing

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
An Australian judge has approved an A$2.25 million fine for advertising claims Apple made about 4G compatibility for the third-generation iPad.

Apple and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reached a settlement earlier this month and had been awaiting court approval. Federal Court Justice Mordy Bromberg approved the fine, which amounts to US$2.29 million, on Thursday, the Associated Press reports.

The ACCC had taken issue with Apple's promotional materials for the launch of the third-generation iPad in Australia in March. The watchdog argued that advertisements for the 4G version of the device misled customers into thinking that it would work on Long Term Evolution networks in Australia.

Though Apple initially defended its actions, it eventually caved and rebranded the device. Last month, Apple began calling its 4G-capable tablet the "iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular," dropping the 4G claim from the product name. Apple now asserts that the device "supports very fast cellular networks," while warning consumers that it will not work with Australian 4G LTE networks.

Cellular


Owing to its time zone, Australia was the first country to sell the iPad when it hit the market on March 16. The device became an immediate hit and was in short supply for weeks after the launch.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 45
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    The device became an immediate hit and was in short supply for weeks after the launch.

    Wonder how many were returned.

    In before, "But that's not the point!"

    I know.
  • Reply 2 of 45
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member


    We finally got stock again last week.


     


    The labels on the boxes has changed, the 4G bit has gone.


     


    It probably to a while for the court case to redefine the repackaging requirements.


     


    Yay the drought is over we are back to selling lots of them again.


     


    I should complain to the ACCC about the loss of commission which is a hell of a lot more than what an iPad purchaser lost over this.

  • Reply 3 of 45
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Lots of legal cases seem to be coming to a head this week against Apple.


    PS: This is where iSheldon claims that I said Apple would never, ever, ever lose a case.

    hill60 wrote: »
    We finally got stock again last week.

    Do you sell other tablets besides the iPad? If so, how they selling?
  • Reply 4 of 45
    2.3 milion really???? Apple offered a full refund!
    Idiot judge. Australia is LUCKY to even have iPads and they fine Apple? Ridiculous.
  • Reply 5 of 45
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    PS: This is where iSheldon claims that I said Apple would never, ever, ever lose a case.


    So now your obsessed with me because I caught your bluff in the last thread?
    Yikes!
  • Reply 6 of 45
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    isheldon wrote: »
    So now your obsessed with me because I caught your bluff in the last thread?
    Yikes!
    Please learn what words mean:

    bluff |bl?f|
    noun
    An attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or will do something

    You claimed I said something I didn't say and despite being asked for proof from several posters (and shown the idiocy of your comment) you've failed to provide any proof.
  • Reply 7 of 45
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Do you sell other tablets besides the iPad? If so, how they selling?

    Comprehend "search engine" much?
  • Reply 8 of 45
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tundraBuggy View Post



    2.3 milion really???? Apple offered a full refund!

    Idiot judge. Australia is LUCKY to even have iPads and they fine Apple? Ridiculous.


    Sorry..I agree with the judge.  I love Apple, but they had no business labeling a product as being 4G capable when it wasn't.    Apple's arrogance sometimes gets the better of them.   Cases like this will tap the brakes a little - make them think a little harder before doing another marketing campaign or product labeling like that.    There are plenty of people who think they shouldn't be pushing Siri the way that they are in U.S. TV ads because Siri really doesn't usually work as it does in the ads either.    


     


    And your comment that "Australia is LUCKY to even have iPads...." is very condescending.     

  • Reply 9 of 45
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Please learn what words mean:
    bluff |bl?f|
    noun
    An attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or will do something
    You claimed I said something I didn't say and despite being asked for proof from several posters (and shown the idiocy of your comment) you've failed to provide any proof.

    So now "one" means "several" and yet I have a comprehension problem?
    Rich- Keep posting!
  • Reply 10 of 45
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    2.3 milion really???? Apple offered a full refund!
    Idiot judge. Australia is LUCKY to even have iPads and they fine Apple? Ridiculous.

    I doubt that's what these penalties are for. Besides the revenue earning aspect of fines I assume it's prevent any obscure (read: universal) marketing from being used in the future.
  • Reply 11 of 45
    ronboronbo Posts: 669member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post





    Comprehend "search engine" much?


     


    <facepalm>. Piece of advice: in sarcasm, enthusiasm is not the same thing as skill. Go read SolipsismX's post, then read your reply. If you're not embarrassed by your post, you're failing a very important IQ test

  • Reply 12 of 45
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member
    ronbo wrote: »
    <facepalm>. Piece of advice: in sarcasm, enthusiasm is not the same thing as skill. Go read SolipsismX's post, then read your reply. If you're not embarrassed by your post, you're failing a very important IQ test

    You should be embarrassed by your location.
  • Reply 13 of 45
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post





    Wonder how many were returned.

    In before, "But that's not the point!"

    I know.


     


    I wonder how many folks were really confused by the statement "LTE only works in North America"


     


    "but that's not the point"


     


    Apple isn't likely to fight this even though the real issue is that some folks were too lazy to read and/or carriers to lazy to train their sales staff correctly (a problem the US has with all three carriers). they make this much money in the time it takes Tim Cook to drive to work. It's almost a joke that the fine is this low but at least the Australian Government can say they did something to 'the big bad lying Apple' so all will be happy

  • Reply 14 of 45
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    Lots of legal cases seem to be coming to a head this week against Apple.

    PS: This is where iSheldon claims that I said Apple would never, ever, ever lose a case.

    Do you sell other tablets besides the iPad? If so, how they selling?


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post





    So now your obsessed with me because I caught your bluff in the last thread?

    Yikes!


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Please learn what words mean:

    bluff |bl?f|

    noun

    An attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or will do something

    You claimed I said something I didn't say and despite being asked for proof from several posters (and shown the idiocy of your comment) you've failed to provide any proof.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post





    Comprehend "search engine" much?


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post





    So now "one" means "several" and yet I have a comprehension problem?

    Rich- Keep posting!


     


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Please learn what words mean:

    bluff |bl?f|

    noun

    An attempt to deceive someone into believing that one can or will do something

    You claimed I said something I didn't say and despite being asked for proof from several posters (and shown the idiocy of your comment) you've failed to provide any proof.


     


    I think the two of you have sufficiently proven you have really tiny ones so how about you put them back in your pants and stop embarrassing yourselves. Or at least get a room so the real of us can avoid this train wreck

  • Reply 15 of 45
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    Do you sell other tablets besides the iPad? If so, how they selling?


    Galaxy Tab 10.1's, very slowly, stopped stocking them months ago.


     


    Playbook total fail.


     


    Sell a few Notes, the 'phablets"

  • Reply 16 of 45
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    Sorry..I agree with the judge.  I love Apple, but they had no business labeling a product as being 4G capable when it wasn't.   



     


    Actually it is, if you take it somewhere with "4G" it WILL work.


     


    The 4G components haven't been removed, it still has 4G chips.

  • Reply 17 of 45
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member


    Like it or not, Apple learned a valuable lesson from this fine: when you put back the sofa cushions, the zippers should face the rear.

  • Reply 18 of 45
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    hill60 wrote: »
    Galaxy Tab 10.1's, very slowly, stopped stocking them months ago.

    Playbook total fail.

    Sell a few Notes, the 'phablets"
    Any interest being shown in the Surface? I'm quite fond of what I've seen of the HW and Win8 RT. Not at all fond with any of the execution shown so far but that's a different matter.

    nagromme wrote: »
    Like it or not, Apple learned a valuable lesson from this fine: when you put back the sofa cushions, the zippers should face the rear.
    LOL You've been extra funny as of late.
  • Reply 19 of 45

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hill60 View Post


    We finally got stock again last week.


     


    The labels on the boxes has changed, the 4G bit has gone.


     


    It probably to a while for the court case to redefine the repackaging requirements.


     


    Yay the drought is over we are back to selling lots of them again.


     


    I should complain to the ACCC about the loss of commission which is a hell of a lot more than what an iPad purchaser lost over this.



    How has this stopped the supply of your stock? If you say it has then you are clearly lying.

  • Reply 20 of 45

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tundraBuggy View Post



    2.3 milion really???? Apple offered a full refund!

    Idiot judge. Australia is LUCKY to even have iPads and they fine Apple? Ridiculous.


    Why is Australia lucky to have iPads?

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