Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Ad Mocks iPhone 17 Design Rumors
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro ad playfully mocks Apple amid rumors that iPhone 17 Pro may adopt a Pixel-like camera bar and long-used Android features.
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In a fresh jab at its long-standing rival, Google released a new advertisement for the Pixel 9 Pro that indirectly accuses Apple of adopting design and software features long seen in Android phones.
The video, part of Google's ongoing “#BestPhonesForever” campaign, portrays a fictional podcast episode hosted by Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. The characters humorously discuss growing speculation that Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 models could sport a camera layout reminiscent of Google’s signature horizontal bar—a design seen in several Android devices in past years.
Recent mock-ups and prototype leaks of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max suggest Apple may shift toward a horizontal rear camera design, prompting online chatter about its similarity to Google's aesthetics. Despite retaining Apple’s characteristic triangular lens arrangement, many social media users and analysts note the resemblance to Pixel phones.
In the ad, the iPhone character feigns surprise over the speculation, sarcastically asking, “Can you imagine me doing the same thing you did first years later?” The ad quickly gained traction online, amplifying the ongoing narrative around Apple’s alleged tendency to implement Android-like features years after they debuted.
The video also touches on key software similarities. The Pixel points out how Google introduced innovations such as Night Sight before Apple rolled out its Night Mode. Another example highlighted includes Google’s Magic Eraser, which launched well before Apple’s comparable Clean Up feature. Each point is delivered through lighthearted banter, with both devices joking about the coincidental timing.
Although the ad stops short of a direct accusation, it underscores how Apple has historically lagged behind Android in certain feature rollouts. The campaign leverages public interest in the iPhone 17 redesign to position the Pixel as a longstanding innovator.
As anticipation builds for Apple’s next major iPhone reveal expected later this year, the tech world is watching closely. Google, meanwhile, is gearing up for the debut of its Pixel 10 series, signaling another chapter in the ongoing battle for smartphone supremacy.
