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Google is back with another Pixel ad making fun of iPhones. In its new video clip in its #BestPhonesForever series, the search giant teases its upcoming Pixel launch, which it says “makes iPhone nervous.”
The clip features the two smartphone creations of Google and Apple, which are painted as best friends in the entire series. Titled “Scary Story,” the new scene shows the two phones sharing an urban legend. However, in the middle of the storytelling, iPhone expresses its fears about the Pixel’s upcoming event, which could be “more innovative,” affecting their friendship.
The ad is part of Google’s move to continuously boost the hype about its rumored Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro on October 4. It follows Apple’s Wonderlust event, where the Cupertino giant unveiled its four new iPhone models alongside its other brand-new device creations. At the Apple event, the new iPhones received some improvements, including the addition of an Action Button and titanium frames in the Pro models and the adoption of the USB-C port. The latter, however, is being downplayed by Google, especially in its earlier #BestPhonesForever clip. Now, Google’s satire continues, suggesting “scary cool updates” on Wednesday next week.
While Google’s ad sounds like just a pure act to tease Apple, a portion of it should alarm the iPhone maker. According to a recent Counterpoint Research report, Pixel phones consumed some of Apple iPhone’s smartphone market share in Japan in Q1 2023:
The report follows Google’s success in the Asian country in the first quarter of 2023, when it became its top Android smartphone brand. Surprisingly, this led to the search giant consuming a portion of the iPhone’s market share in the Japanese market. According to the firm, Pixel obtained a 12% share in the June quarter, which was six times its total share last year. iPhone’s share, meanwhile, dropped from 58% to 46% during the same period.
Seoul-based Counterpoint analyst Tom Kang explained that since Pixel is only offered in select markets, the drop in the value of Japan’s currency makes Google Pixel more financially attractive for consumers outside the country. In June, Counterpoint reported that the mid-range Pixel 6a and flagship Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro sales greatly contributed to Google’s global shipment Q1 2023 growth, which reached 67% YoY.
Of course, this success is just limited to the Japanese market, but Pixel’s growth in the Asian country could soon be a sign of the start of a huge threat for Apple. And with the iPhone 15 Pro Max facing some issues, the arrival of a more affordable unit with more features is the last thing Apple would wish to happen these days.
