Apple's iPad faces legal battle in Australia over '4G' claim

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is looking to throw the book at Apple for its potentially misleading claims about the third-generation iPad's 4G capabilities.

Apple is facing a legal challenge in Australia over claims that its third-generation iPad is equipped for 4G. Image credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET News

Apple's new iPad comes with the ability to connect to long-term evolution (LTE) or '4G' networks in the 700MHz or 2100MHz spectrum band. Australia's only LTE network is currently provided by Telstra, which uses its former 2G spectrum band of 1800MHz.

As a result, Apple's third-generation iPad is currently unable to connect to a LTE network in Australia, making it a particular sticking point for Australia's consumer watchdog. "The ACCC alleges that Apple's recent promotion of the new 'iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G' is misleading because it represents to Australian consumers that the product 'iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G' can, with a SIM card, connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia, when this is not the case," the ACCC said in a statement on Tuesday.

For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Apple sued by ACCC over 4G iPad claims on ZDNet Australia.