“It doesn’t take a genius,” according to Samsung’s new ad, to see that the Samsung Galaxy S III is a better handset than Apple’s new iPhone 5. “The next big thing is already here,” it says.
The ad, which Samsung will start running in national and regional newspapers tomorrow, does a side-by-side comparison of the two phones, with the Galaxy S III appearing superior…
Admittedly, the S III looks better on paper: larger screen, better battery life, more RAM, and a longer list of features. But, to be fair, Samsung lists things like “Turn Over To Mute,” “Tilt To Zoom,” and “Shake To Update” for its handset, which comes off as trying to pad the stats.
Anyway, technical specifications have never really been Apple’s cup of tea. You won’t find it putting 8-core processors in its handsets, or things like NFC, just so it looks good on paper. No, Apple’s strengths are its hardware, its reliable software, and the “it just works” mentality that comes with all of its products. If you’re a specs person, the iPhone’s probably not for you.
The ad itself is actually really telling of how Samsung views Apple and its position in the smartphone space. It clearly views the iPhone as the market leader, as it continues to feature it and Apple in its advertisements. Remember Apple’s “I’m a Mac” campaign against Windows?
The question is, will this strategy pay off for Samsung the way it did for Apple? It’s hard to tell. We imagine the ads will probably make Android users giggle, but what about the general public?
What do you think about Samsung’s new ad?