FOUR WHAT? The Commerce Commission has received a complaint about the new iPad being advertised as a 4G device.

The Commerce Commission says it has received a complaint about the marketing of the new iPad as a 4G device, in the wake of court action in Australia against Apple over the same issue.

The new iPad is capable of working on 4G mobile networks which provide faster mobile broadband than 3G networks as well as 3G mobile networks, but is currently only compatible with 4G networks in the United States and Canada.

Australia has a 4G network built by Telstra, but all New Zealand mobile networks are 3G.

A commission spokesperson said it had recently received one complaint, which was awaiting assessment.

"We will also assess the issue in the light of the Australian court action. We will then decide on what action is appropriate here, in the light of the representations that are being made by NZ retailers."

Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission has accused Apple of misleading Australian consumers by selling a product called "iPad with Wifi + 4G" when it cannot connect with any 4G mobile network in Australia.

It went to the Federal Court in Melbourne this morning seeking orders that would require Apple to ensure consumers were made aware of the actual capabilities of the new iPad, clarify its advertising and offer refunds to consumers who had been misled. Apple is refusing to put corrective stickers on packaging for its new iPad claiming that it would be "cumbersome" but will offer refunds for Australian customers who believe they were misled.

The tech giant has offered to put corrective notices at the points of sale in Australia for the new tablet computer, saying that the product supports ultra-fast mobile broadband but is not compatible with Telstra's network.

Apple's New Zealand website describes the new iPad as 4G but states in a footnote that "4G LTE is supported only on AT&T and Verizon networks in the US; and on Bell, Rogers and Telus networks in Canada"