Skip to main content

Samsung mocks Apple devotees (again) in possibly its oddest smartphone ad yet

Samsung Ad
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Samsung has rolled out a few ads mocking Apple devotees in the last couple of years as it seeks to boost sales of its Galaxy handsets, but the one it released in Iceland recently will for many viewers be quite possibly the oddest yet.

Recommended Videos

Trumpeting the Galaxy S4’s support for the Icelandic language, the 56-second ad kicks off with a man in the middle of nowhere (ie. somewhere outside Reykjavik) sitting on a rock holding an apple. Judging by the way he’s tapping and swiping on the fruit, this confused-looking fella has been tricked into thinking it’s a handset – Apple’s handset, one assumes. Things go from bad to worse for the hapless protagonist when he tries to make a call on it.

Disappointed that it doesn’t appear to be functioning in the way he thinks it should, the guy gives a look of despair before throwing his head in his hands.

A message then shows up, which, according to Google Translate, means “Get a phone that understands you”. You might think you know what’s coming next, but the reality is, there’s no one on the entire planet who could possibly guess what’s coming next. Suffice to say, it involves more apples, some dancing ninjas and a bemused-looking ram (I know, I wasn’t even aware rams could look bemused until I saw this). A Galaxy S4 also appears.

The tagline is “Galaxy S4 understands Icelandic”, a language that would leave an iPhone feeling as confused as you after watching this ad. Specifically, the iPhone has no language or dictionary support (for predictive text and auto correct) for Icelandic, though it does have keyboard support.

Translated, the blurb that accompanies the video (below) on YouTube says, “[The S4] can control various functions and also allows you to write emails and text messages by speaking to the phone in Icelandic. Get a phone that understands you.”

Launched at the end of April, Samsung’s flagship handset has reportedly been selling well, crossing the 10-million mark in less than a month. However, whether the Korean tech company’s latest ad for the device results in a spike in sales in Iceland remains to be seen.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Top Apple analyst suggests the iPhone Mini is truly extinct
the best call recording apps for iphone 12 mini case feature image copy

Earlier this year, Apple released the iPhone 16E and put an end to the iPhone SE lineup. For those who had hopes the iPhone Mini might return, that doesn't seem likely either. In a Q&A session with Mark Gurman, the analyst said Apple doesn't have plans to bring the miniature version of its iconic lineup back anytime soon.

That's not exactly surprising. Apple basically killed the iPhone Mini lineup in 2023 when it launched the iPhone 14 Plus, leaving the iPhone 13 Mini as the last of its kind. With a 5.4-inch display, the iPhone 13 Mini wouldn't exactly fit in today's market of larger screens, but for users that preferred smaller phones, it was a godsend.

Read more
Network tests show Apple C1 modem in iPhone 16e wins where it matters
The camera on the Apple iPhone 16e in White

When Apple introduced the iPhone 16e a few weeks ago, one aspect that drew the most attention was its network chip. The C1 is Apple’s first in-house modem to appear inside an iPhone, ditching the company’s total reliance on Qualcomm. However, there were also concerns about whether this modem is competitive.
The folks over at the popular internet speed testing platform, Ookla, tested the Apple-designed modem and found that it beats Qualcomm’s solution inside the iPhone 16 at a few crucial parameters. The analysis, which lasted roughly two weeks, covered AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile cellular networks.
On a general note, the iPhone 16e performed better than the iPhone 16 when tethered to AT&T and Verizon networks, while the reverse was true for T-Mobile. Ookla says the opposite T-Mobile results can be attributed to the carrier’s nationwide 5G standalone network (SA), while Apple’s C1 modem comes with limited SA compatibility.

When the going gets tough, C1 rises

Read more
Apple just patched a security flaw left users open to phishing attacks
A person holding the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple just shared news that a new security update is available that patches a critical vulnerability in the Apple Password App. If you haven't yet updated your phone to the latest version of iOS, now's a good time — it will prevent you from falling victim to previously unknown security flaws.

The security flaw allowed bad actors to access stored usernames and passwords. The Apple Password App makes it easy to quickly log in to a website using stored credentials, but it should only work over a secured network; in other words, the URL should begin with "HTTPS." Security researchers first discovered the problem when more than 130 insecure websites (those that only used HTTP) had connected with the Password App.

Read more