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Seventeen TV viewers complained about the ad, which showed a close-up of the iPhone being used to surf a webpage, view Google Maps and download a file, with all the actions having waiting times of only a fraction of a second.

Apple told the ASA that the claims made in the ad were relative rather than absolute in nature and pointed out that the opening line of the voiceover stated “So what’s great about 3G?”—clearly explaining that the ad compared the new 3G iPhone with its slower predecessor. Apple added that the average TV viewer was a mobile phone user and would have understood that a device's performance varied due to several factors. It said the average viewer would understand that a 30-second TV ad could not address every single experience and was merely simplified to allow an illustration of the device.

Clearcast, the body was set up by UK commercial broadcasters to clear ads before they are shown on television, agreed with Apple’s argument. It said that it has received supporting evidence for Apple’s claims and was satisfied that the 3G iPhone could achieve speeds that, when compared to the rest of the market, were reasonably fast, and which were an accurate

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demonstration that the speed illustrated was achievable. They also pointed out that the ad was qualified by the on-screen text, “Network performance will vary by location”.

In its adjudication, the ASA accepted Apple’s argument that the majority of viewers would be familiar with mobile telephones, but many might not be fully aware of the technical differences between the two types of phone technology. It also noted the ad did not give an explicit indication of a comparison with the older 2G iPhone.

“We noted the voice-over claim ‘really fast’ was used in conjunction with each of the functions shown in the visuals,” the ASA says. “Although we noted the on-screen text disclaimer, ‘network performance will vary by location’, we considered that the visuals, in conjunction with the repeated use of the claim ‘really fast’, were likely to lead viewers to believe that the device actually operated at or near to the speeds shown in the ad….”

The ASA concluded that the ad was misleading and in breach of the advertising standards code and therefore cannot be shown again.

The offending ad can still be seen at guardian.co.uk.

This was the second iPhone ad that has met with ASA disapproval. It previously chastised Apple for claiming that the iPhone provided access to the whole internet.