Australian judge fines Apple more than $2.2 M

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- An Australian judge has fined Apple Inc. more than $2.2 million for misleading customers that its latest iPad was compatible with the next generation 4G broadband network.

Federal Court Justice Mordy Bromberg ruled Thursday that the U.S. technology innovator misled the public for two months this year with claims in its advertising implying that the "iPad with WiFi + 4G," could connect directly to the Long Term Evolution mobile data network operated in Australia by the nation's dominant telecommunications carrier, Telstra Corp. It could not.

Bromberg fined Apple 2.25 million Australian dollars ($2.29 million) and ordered it pay AU$300,000 in costs for contravening consumer law.

Apple admitted to the misleading advertising.

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