Samsung has always had fun poking fun at Apple and its devotees when it comes to smartphones. With every new Galaxy handset, the Korean tech company goes all in on mocking its big rival by putting out amusing ads that seek to persuade consumers to reject the iPhone in favor of one of its own offerings.
The latest commercial from Samsung, set inside an Apple Store, is no different. The 30-second ad shows an exchange between a customer and an Apple “genius,” who manages to make some very stupid faces when asked about iPhone X download speeds.
In the ad, a customer named Rosie rakes the genius about iPhone X speeds. After first evading the statement by saying the iPhone X is “faster than the iPhone 8,” he finds himself in an awkward situation when Rosie follows up and states the Samsung Galaxy S9 is faster than the iPhone X. Unable to respond, the genius manages to twist and contort his face in a way no genius has ever twisted or comforted before.
The commercial ends with the genius offering a somber expression when Rosie follows up with thought [the iPhone X] was the smartphone of the future.
Samsung used recent data from internet speed-test company Ookla as the basis for its claim about the Galaxy S9’s download speed. The study indicated that the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus sport speeds of up to 37 percent faster than the iPhone X, 17 percent faster than the Google Pixel 2, and 38 percent faster than the Galaxy S7.
Ookla attributes improved speeds on the Samsung Galaxy S9 to its Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE modem and an additional pair of antennas. This combination allows the Galaxy S9 to perform better in areas with poor signal strength as it can collect extra energy via its extra antennas. The iPhone X, on the other hand, features slower. Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 and Intel XMM7480 modems and a dual antenna setup
And while the Samsung manages to get a good jab at Apple in its commercial, it doesn’t tell the full story. According to Mike Haberman, vice president of network operations at Verizon, Ookla conducted fewer than 20,000 tests on the Samsung Galaxy S9 for its report, in comparison to more than 350,000 tests conducted on the iPhone X.
The commercial comes just weeks before Samsung is expected to release its Samsung Galaxy Note 9 handset on August 9. It also comes a week after Samsung released its disappointing earnings guidance for its second quarter, suggesting the slow sales of its Galaxy S9 handsets.
Of course, there’s a lot more to a phone’s performance than just download speeds, and there are plenty of iPhone X owners perfectly happy with their Apple-made handset. But if you’re in the market for an upgrade and can’t decide between the X and the S9, check out our handy comparison guide. And if you’re willing to wait just a little while longer, we’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Pixel 3, as well as a trip of iPhones for 2018 to be announced in the coming months.
Updated on July 18: Condensed story exposition and updated with Ookla testing information, as well as Samsung earnings guidance.
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