Android is at war with iOS. Android has always been at war with iOS. More specifically, some Android and iOS users have always taken operating system selection extremely personally. To demonstrate their loyalty, these supporters — also known mockingly as “fanboys” — have historically launched sarcastic jokes and insults at those who dare enjoy a mobile ecosystem they don’t like. And things haven’t changed in 2025.
But you can’t lay all the blame for mobile OS tribalism at the feet of social media users. Samsung took advantage of what many viewers considered Apple’s underwhelming Worldwide Developer’s Conference to lob its own sarcasm bomb. Rather than break new ground, it played one of Android vs. iOS’ greatest hits, pointing out multiple iOS 26 features that Samsung’s One UI 7 implemented months ago, or longer. Samsung managed to fire off the jabs on X/Twitter while Apple was still presenting its new software, before the social media team apparently became “too tired to care.” (Source: SamMobile)
A long history of adversarial advertisements
‘Edgy Samsung’ is far from a new identity
Over a decade ago, Samsung had already established its humorous disdain for Apple products and their users with a series of parody ads. First cooked up as a hard-hitting angle meant to sap some of the positive sentiment Apple garnered following Steve Jobs’ death in 2011, the campaign made a surprising amount of waves. Phil Schiller, then Apple’s marketing chief, went so far as to praise Samsung’s ad savvy, saying, “I can’t help but think, ‘These guys are feeling it.'”
Samsung has periodically returned to the anti-Apple snark, so the latest round of jokes isn’t all that surprising. Samsung isn’t even the only company to mock Apple’s various efforts. Plus, in Samsung’s favor, a great deal of early WWDC chatter has revolved around the Liquid Glass UI transparency element, which tech fans worldwide noticed looks suspiciously like the Aero Glass theme for Windows 7. And not all the feedback’s been positive, either, with many users pointing out the transparency’s somewhat visually busy appearance.
The tech community was all too eager to get in on the bickering, and not just on Samsung’s side. Naturally, every device manufacturer and operating system developer does something like stealing from all the others at some point, because there are only so many ways to reinvent the wheel. Replies on X/Twitter were quick to jump on Samsung for its own supposed theft of various Apple features over the years (headphone jack removal, anybody?). While we’re not convinced the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a rip-off of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, as some replies implied, Samsung and other Android developers have certainly taken cues from the Cupertino-based tech lifestyle company.
Apple also trolled itself
Maybe the original thumbnail (left) was a viral marketing attempt by Apple’s video team. Screenshots courtesy of The Verge.
This hilarious gaffe, though, falls squarely on the fruit-themed smartphone maker. Apple uploaded a launch video for the aforementioned Liquid Glass redesign to YouTube, but somebody forgot to do their due diligence. As cataloged by the respected professionals at The Verge, the “really unfortunate” placement of YouTube’s Play button seemed to turn the “Introducing Liquid Glass” thumbnail into something considerably less family-friendly.
Apple was quick to correct the miscue with a bit of left-aligned text. But the damage was done, and Samsung devotees (as well as Apple detractors) took to photo editors and AI generators to craft their own takes on Apple’s unfortunate blunder.
In other words, don’t expect any of it to stop, whether it’s the revolving feature stealing between platforms or the snarky social media callouts. Samsung live-tweeting its disrespect for Apple’s big yearly software reveal doesn’t really hurt anybody — even if it does get the fanboys worked up — and it clearly helps engagement and recognition. Plus, while the social media team’s flippant outburst might not be the most effective, objective marketing strategy ever, it’s far from the most painful tech ad. And it’s definitely no “What’s a computer?” video spot.
