UK Shuts Down iPhone 3G Ad

 

An iPhone 3G commercial in the U.K. won't get any more air time now that the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has blocked the ad over complaints that it is misleading. The agency apparently received 17 complaints claiming Apple was misrepresenting the combination iPod and smartphone's Internet performance, according to BBC News.

The commercial in question stated that the iPhone's Internet performance was "really fast," and showed a Google Maps page loading in less than a second. The commercial also displays the text "Network performance will vary by location."

Apple asserted that its performance claims were "relative and not absolute," and that it was comparing the iPhone 3G to the original EDGE-based model. The ASA didn't buy Apple's argument, so the ad has been banned as misleading.

If Apple modifies the ad so that the ASA no longer sees it as misleading, the agency could allow it back on the air.