TL;DR
- Google’s latest holiday ad shows a Pixel comforting an iPhone that’s feeling inadequate as a Christmas gift.
- The campaign throws shade at Apple for the lack of AI features on iPhones.
- Titled “Best Phones Forever,” the Google ad falls a bit flat compared to the company’s previous attempts at one-upping Apple.
‘Tis the season for spreading cheer, and Google’s new “Best Phones Forever” ad aims to do just that while throwing a subtle holiday jab at the iPhone.
Google’s been doing these ads for a while now. The theme is almost always the same: a Pixel and an iPhone engage in a conversation, with the Pixel somehow coming out on top. While some of these ads are indeed funny and witty, others, like this latest one, feel a bit forced.
Pixel vs iPhone: A Christmas story
In this new holiday ad, an iPhone and a Pixel can be seen talking to each other from inside gift-wrapped boxes placed under a Christmas tree. Only they don’t know where they are and why they are inside a box. Both phones want to get out, prompting the Pixel to ask Gemini Live for help.
At one point during their conversation with Gemini, the phones realize they’re Christmas gifts, and the iPhone suddenly starts screaming for help. Why? Because it feels it won’t make a great gift as it lacks AI features like Gemini Live and Circle to Search that the Pixel offers.
“I’m still not ready to be unrapped,” the iPhone says in a panic.
“iPhone, don’t you see, it’s time of good cheer, a time to be with the friends and family that accept you for who you are not who you wish you could be,” the Pixel replies.
So essentially, the ad is about the Pixel consoling the iPhone for its lack of AI features in the spirit of the holiday season. The subtle snub here is that the iPhone wishes it could be the Pixel.
This might be subjective, but the ad falls a bit flat, honestly. Especially since Gemini Live is available on iOS through the Gemini app and Circle to Search is not just a Pixel exclusive feature anymore. Nevertheless, it’s all just a bit of fun.
English (US) ·