Google took a playful jab at Apple this week by mocking the rumored design of the upcoming iPhone 17 in an ad promoting its Pixel 9 Pro. The ad suggests Apple is copying Android, specifically referencing the iPhone 17’s alleged new horizontal camera bar—similar to the one found on Pixel phones. While the iPhone 17 hasn’t been officially unveiled, leaks and mockups hint at a Pixel-inspired rear design, with the Pro models expected to feature a thick horizontal camera strip and the iPhone 17 Air a sleeker, narrower version.
Google’s latest ad highlights the Pixel’s long-standing use of a horizontal camera bar, subtly mocking Apple for allegedly adopting a similar design for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models—though Apple is expected to retain its triangular lens layout within an expanded bump. Framed as a tongue-in-cheek “podcast” between a Pixel and an iPhone, the ad not only emphasizes Google’s design lead but also calls out features that Apple has supposedly borrowed from Android devices over time.
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The conversation was:
Pixel: Hi, I’m Pixel, and this is my friend, iPhone.
iPhone: Good day.
Pixel: There are a lot of rumors circulating about iPhone’s upcoming redesign.
iPhone: It’s crazy. Can you imagine me doing the same thing you did first years later?
In its latest Pixel 9 Pro ad, Google highlights several features—such as Night Mode, the photo Clean Up tool, and home screen widgets—as innovations that debuted on Android before making their way to the iPhone. The playful video ends with the iPhone mimicking the Pixel’s line, “We want to remind everyone that these rumors are just rumors,” poking fun at how Apple is perceived to follow Android’s lead.
iPhone 17 Pro series are the first Pro iPhones since their introduction to bring a new camera design
That’s 6 generations of the same camera design before bringing a new one. The new one has the same camera camera layout, just a different bump. pic.twitter.com/mWTvHIhIAs
— Anthony (@TheGalox_) March 12, 2025
The video’s description further reinforces the satire, urging viewers not to believe every rumor they see. Google has used this light-hearted iPhone-versus-Android ad format before, previously taking aim at Apple’s design choices, including the recent shift from Lightning to USB-C.
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