Samsung calls iPhone users "wall huggers" in latest anti-Apple attack ad
Samsung today released a new attack ad focusing on shortcomings in the iPhone's battery life. The commercial takes on a humorous, if not whimsical, tone as it shows us a few scenes -- which all take place in an airport -- of people dealing with the frustrations that accompany owning a device with less than stellar battery life. Towards the end of the commercial, Samsung calls iPhone owners "wall huggers", borrowing a phrase so elegantly introduced by BlackBerry CEO John Chen a few months ago.
The commercial ends by contrasting the iPhone's poor battery life against the Samsung Galaxy S5, what with its removable battery and all. Yep, it's 2014 and we're still talking about removable batteries.
The commercial has the same mocking tone as other anti-Apple ads Samsung has run in the past. Indeed, the "let's laugh at Apple" commercials are precisely the ones that so infuriated Phil Schiller last year and prompted Apple to explore other advertising partners as a result.
Of course, Apple proponents might rebut the commercial by pointing out that iPhones run out of juice more often because they're used a heck of a lot more. At the same time, a recent survey suggests that consumers interested in the iPhone 6 are more interested in a device with more battery life than with a larger screen.
Personally, I think the ad is effective insofar as it's funny. It's sort of Samsung's own interpretation of Apple's famed "Get a Mac" ads starring Justin Long way back in the day.
