Google's "Wicked" Jab at iPhone 17 Pro: Pixel Reminds Us Who Did It First!

Well, isn't this just a delightfully cheeky move in the smartphone wars? Google has once again shown its playful side, dropping a brand-new ad campaign that's making waves across the tech landscape. And trust me, it’s not subtle. Using the infectious tune "Popular" from the Broadway hit "Wicked," Google is taking a very public, and rather sassy, jab at the much-anticipated — and still purely rumored — features of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro.

For those who’ve been keeping an eye on the Apple rumor mill, whispers have been growing louder about the iPhone 17 Pro possibly packing some "next-gen computational photography" and a slew of impressive "on-device AI features." Sounds exciting, right? But Google, ever the one to remind us of its own innovations, seems to be saying, "Hold on a minute, haven't we been doing that for ages?" The video essentially acts as a playful tutorial, much like the song in the musical, on how Apple is just now catching up to what Pixel phones have offered their users for years.

It's all quite clever, really. The ad specifically calls out features that have become staples for Pixel users. Think about the magic of Best Take, where you can swap out less-than-perfect faces in group photos for ideal ones. Or the incredibly handy Photo Unblur, which takes those slightly shaky or out-of-focus memories and brings them back to life with stunning clarity. And who could forget Magic Editor, allowing for mind-bending edits that once required professional software, all right on your phone?

Beyond photography, Google also takes a moment to spotlight its groundbreaking Circle to Search feature. This innovative tool lets you simply circle anything on your screen — a product, a landmark, a pet — to instantly get more information, seamlessly integrated into your daily phone use. These are capabilities that, for many Pixel owners, have simply become part of their phone's DNA, almost taken for granted because they’re so effective and intuitive.

So, as Apple reportedly gears up to unveil its "new" era of computational photography and on-device AI with the iPhone 17 Pro, Google's message is loud and clear, delivered with a healthy dose of show tunes: "We were popular (and innovative) first!" It's a bold and amusing way for Google to reinforce its position as a pioneer in integrating advanced AI and photography directly into its hardware, long before its Cupertino rival steps onto the same stage. Definitely worth a watch if you appreciate a good tech rivalry with a soundtrack!