KEY POINTS:
BRITAIN - The Apple iPhone, the must-have gadget that sends technology fans into rapture, fails to give users complete access to the internet, the British Government's media watchdog rules today.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the combined phone, music player and computer is flawed because of the
absence of two common website programmes, Flash and Java.
As a result, the ASA said Apple's claim that the iPhone gave access to 'all parts of the internet' misled customers about its power as a web browser.
iPhone users cannot access the graphics, videos and games on many websites, including the BBC's, because of the absence of Flash.
Java's absence deprives users a series of short-cuts, typically on order forms such as the copying of a credit card address into the home delivery box.
In its ruling, the ASA said Apple, run by the ebullient chief executive Steve Jobs, failed to take account of the shortcomings in a TV advertising campaign.
An iPhone owner was shown using the device to check the weather in Cape Town, a Heathrow Airport map, hotels and a stock market site.
The voice-over said: "You never know which part of the internet you'll need. The do you need sun cream part? The 'what is the quickest way to the airport part'? The 'what about an ocean view room part'? Or the 'can you really afford this part'? Which is why, all parts of the internet are on the iPhone".
Two viewers complained the claim was misleading.
Apple said the aim of the advert was to highlight the iPhone's ability to offer availability to all websites, in contrast to other handsets which offered only WAP versions or sites selected by service providers.
It argued that surfing the internet with an iPhone was similar to surfing from a home or office computer and the appearance and the websites were the same.
The ASA said: "We noted Apple's argument that the ad was about site availability rather than technical detail but considered the claims 'You'll never know which part of the internet you'll need' and 'all parts of the internet are on the iPhone' implied users could access all websites and see them in their entirety.
"We considered that, because the ad had not explained the limitations, viewers were likely to expect to be able to see all the content on a website normally accessible through a PC rather than just having the ability to reach the website.
"We concluded the ad gave a misleading impression of the internet capabilities of the iPhone."
The ruling is a blow to the iPhone's otherwise strong reputation.
Reviewers have rhapsodised about its slimline design, sophistication and versatility.
Priced up to NZ$1129 each, the iPhone allows users the chance to switch instantly between voice calls, music and email.
One criticism has been the slow speed of downloading web pages.
The latest generation iPhone uses faster 3G technology, blunting the gripe.
However, the ASA ruling underlines the continuing problems that the iPhone and other mobile devices have in downloading web pages.
Cliff Saran, technical editor of ComputerWeekly, warned that - despite improvements - mobile phones were still vastly inferior to desktop computers for browsing the internet.
- THE INDEPENDENT
