Mention of the disputed '4G' capabilities of the Apple iPad has been dropped in ads worldwide in the wake of considerable consumer criticism and scrutiny from industry watchdogs on the subject. Apple caused a good deal of dissatisfaction in various quarters as it promoted the '4G' (fourth generation) connectivity capacity of its latest iPad offering, despite the associated services only being available in a small number of countries.
A fairly long-running dispute ensued, which saw Apple ultimately relenting and apparently accepting that its claims of offering 4G connectivity have not been entirely accurate. Small print on the newest incarnation of the iPad noted that 4G was only available in the US and Canada but not in the UK and Australia, where concerns on the subject were first raised.
After continued complaints from dissatisfied customers, the UK's Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) took a closer look at the details and suggested it was not entirely satisfied with Apple's response on the subject. Its conclusion in recent days was that the company's website did not suitably explain the availability or otherwise of 4G with its market-leading tablet PC devices.
In an effort to put the issue to bed, Apple has changed the description of its latest iPads from being 4G compatible to being 'cellular', as can now be seen on its sales websites worldwide.
In other Apple news, Business Insider recently quoted a number of expert analysts as lowering their expectations on the performance of the company during the current financial quarter. It was suggested by some that rumours of a new and updated iPhone have served to hinder sales of its latest smartphone the iPhone 4S.
The Apple iPad meanwhile holds a healthy, not to say commanding, lead over its rivals in the context of tablet PCs and is still out in front in the UK in terms of smartphone units being sold. Although that position is set to be sternly tested over the course of 2012 with the Samsung Galaxy S3 set to be introduced onto the market in a matter of days.