Google Mocks iPhone in Musical ‘Wicked’ Ad Claiming Pixel Firsts

[MacRumors]

Google this week shared a new ad in its ongoing anti-Apple "BestPhonesForever" series, this time leaning into the launch of the new Wicked: For Good movie that's out in theaters.

The spot features an iPhone fawning over a Pixel smartphone before breaking into the Wicked: For Good song. Google suggests that it was first to multiple features that the iPhone then copied, like screening phone calls and removing unwanted images from photos.

Oh Pixel, I'm so lucky to have a friend like you. You've always inspired me!

You do things first that show me the way. Like fixing photos, screening calls, or building an AI assistant you can have real conversations with.

It's not clear how Google's ad featuring singing smartphones might attract customers to Pixel devices given that it doesn't share details on any actual features.

Google has been sharing ads that pit its Pixel smartphones against the iPhone since 2023, and it's become a popular ad campaign with Pixel fans with more than 30 in the series. The ads typically include feature comparisons or criticize the iPhone for lacking features like conversational AI.

Article Link: Google Mocks iPhone in Musical ‘Wicked’ Ad Claiming Pixel Firsts

 

[jml12286]

Thanks for showing me that, now I need to swap out my iPhone for a Pixel.........

 

[ProbablyDylan]

This is why we shouldn't ask Gemini for ad ideas.

 

[JMalone]

Google phones are on average 40% slower than iPhones in benchmarks.

The CPU and GPU are the most important things in any computing device.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Google phones are on average 40% slower than iPhones in benchmarks.

The CPU and GPU are the most important things in any computing device.

I can't tell a speed difference between my SE 2022 and 16 Pro, at all. Considering I play zero games, and do zero photo/video editing, how would I even tell? When it comes to CPU speed, I just don't care, and benchmarks do nothing for me. Same thing coming from an M1 Air to M4 Pro; they feel the same.

What I can tell, though, is how much liquid glass sucks.

 

[vertsix]

"Oh Pixel, I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."

That's also what Pixel users say to their Pixels because they don't have any friends.

 

[maflynn]

This is why we shouldn't ask Gemini for ad ideas.

They tried asking siri, but that didn't go so well

 

[ProbablyDylan]

They tried asking siri, but that didn't go so well

🔉 Here's what I found on the web

 

[Zeus2018]

Yeah, fair point—Apple's hardware innovation has definitely slowed under Tim Cook (more iterative upgrades, catching up on AI/photo features Pixel pioneered years ago). But iOS is still the smoothest, most polished, privacy-focused OS out there. Android feels fragmented and buggy by comparison, even on Pixel. Cook seemed to have perfected the ecosystem; he just stopped revolutionizing the phone itself. 😅

 

[JMalone]

I can't tell a speed difference between my SE 2022 and 16 Pro, at all. Considering I play zero games, and do zero photo/video editing, how would I even tell?

You just said why you don’t represent every user. You answered your own question. You have to always consider every user type.

 

[eoblaed]

The only people that care which phone came out with which feature first are marketing folks.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

You just said why you don’t represent every user. You answered your own question. You have to always consider every user type.

What you said is the CPU and GPU is the most important... I would say the UI is the most important, and the iOS 26 UI sucks something fierce.

Mocking your competition is pretty lame, though.

 

[tomtad]

Curious why Apple pays Google billions a year for this but there we are

 

[jrdatrackstar1223]

Apple’s response:

“F*** it, just please help us fix Siri. We’ll pay you a ton…” 😂

 

[iHorseHead]

🔉 Here's what I found on the web

Siri doesn't even respond to me anymore. It just shuts off.

 

[dba415]

Google phones are on average 40% slower than iPhones in benchmarks.

The CPU and GPU are the most important things in any computing device.

Then you should get an Android phone (Non - Pixel)

Snapdragon 8 elite gen 5 wipes the floor with the A19 Pro

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Siri doesn't even respond to me anymore. It just shuts off.

I gave up on Siri, but it started doing that for me too.. It would wake up, listen, then go back to sleep... every single time.

 

[Luch4iphones]

im still not buying it.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Siri doesn't even respond to me anymore. It just shuts off.

I've noticed this so much in Carplay recently. Siri just listens to me... and doesn't do or say anything. Just disappears.

At least Gemini will lie to me instead of staying quiet!

 

[Westside guy]

[Siri] would wake up, listen, then go back to sleep... every single time.

Yeah, this has been my experience recently (and repeatedly) as well! It's incredibly frustrating.

 

[CharlesShaw]

The thieves will hand it back and say, "don't want no Pixel."

 

[winxmac]

Google and Apple are both U.S. companies. Do we have a percentage of iPhone vs Pixel users?

Even if Google is the first to implement features through android, Apple still makes sure when they implement the same feature to be amost perfect.

And then there's app updates that gets released in iOS first before the android counterpart and iOS apps are more polished than the android counterpart.

 

[Seoras]

Given the noise Android users make about their phone comparing it to iPhone I'm beginning to believe these Ads are less about selling and more about therapy for those who didn't buy an iPhone.
Feeding that neediness to purchase decision justify that so many of them seem to suffer from.

 

[iHorseHead]

I gave up on Siri, but it started doing that for me too.. It would wake up, listen, then go back to sleep... every single time.

I thought it's because of my accent or something, but it used to always work. Even on iOS 8 Siri worked perfectly and responded and understood me.
Now when I say "Hey Siri" it wakes up and when I say "Set a timer for 15 minutes" it goes back to sleep and doesn't set the timer nor responds anything.

 

[cjsuk]

As a former pixel owner, as I use one when I am travelling to iffy places because I don't care if I lose it, some other firsts:

• First totally unusable digital photo that looked like Picasso was on a bad acid trip.
• First thing to get me to run out of fingers counting bluetooth problems in a day.
• First phone that won't allow you to pay for stuff, including transport readers, if the camera app is open even if it's not active.
• First phone that requires one million updates the moment you buy it.
• First phone which had a plastic back that scratched up faster than a plastic macbook in a ball mill.
• First phone that came bent new.