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Latest Microsoft ads pokes fun at the Android and Apple holy war [VIDEO]

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Back in 2008 when the G1 first launched, there was a clear enemy: Apple. Lately, we’ve seen Microsoft make a big push with their still fledgling mobile OS Windows Phone, going on the offensive attacking Android OEM’s with legal threats and licensing agreements. Now it seems Android has a whole new enemy in Microsoft. And Microsoft hasn’t exactly been beating around the bush when it comes to their intentions. Just look at their recent marketing campaigns, to see who they’re gunning for. Hint: it ain’t Apple. They’re even gearing up to release an Android app into the Google Play Store dubbed “Switch to Windows Phone,” going hunting for Android customers on their home turf.

Maybe that’s why I found their latest ad spot for the Nokia Lumia 920 is so… misleading. In it, Microsoft makes light of Android and Apple fanboys who are so busy fighting each other with features and hardware, that it’s become a sort of holy war, ruining weddings and being all around d*cks about the phone they have in their pocket. The best line in the commercial? “I think they kind of like fighting.” Honestly, I get it. Just reading through some of the comments in Kevin’s farewell post is enough to make me lower my head in shame. One could even go as far as argue that there’s been an civil war brewing amongst the Android community, waving the flags of their favorite handsets manufacturers, attacking one another, forgetting that no matter if you’re a Nexus purist, Sammy fanboy, or HTC elitist — we’re all brothers and sisters in Android. That, and everyone needs to chill the eff out.

I have no idea where I’m actually going with this, so I’ll just end with this. If this Microsoft ad spot — which I might add, is pretty friggin’ hilarious — reminds us of one thing, let it be that we never lose sight of the people that make this mobile OS so great, lest we end up like the characters in this video. Now let’s all point and laugh and Microsoft and their feeble attempts to make Windows Phone look “above it all.” Ha-ha!

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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67 Comments

  1. I saw this for the first time at B-Dubs tonight. Had me rolling.

  2. Pretty Adorable Microsoft. If you can’t beat the product – present a truth and then a lie. Because if you hear a truth before a lie – well it’s like a spoon full of sugar.

  3. hilarious.. may not be a good product, but the comedy is golden.

  4. I’m pretty sure that people know about the lumia and just don’t care

    1. yup

    2. Bit harsh, I mean I don’t own a Windows Phone, but I like the OS itself.

      1. Sometimes the truth hurts.

        I read a while back (not sure if it’s still this way, but I wouldn’t dismiss it anyway) that Windows Phone’s closest competitor in the smartphone market wasn’t iPhone, or Android, or even BlackBerry, but Microsoft’s own Windows Mobile devices…ouch! In other words Windows Phone is not only below Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry in market share, but it has even less market share than old klunky WinMo phones! That’s some dedicated user base to outmoded technology! The saddest part is that Microsoft keeps talking like they are the third option, but in reality they’d be happy if they actually were the third biggest mobile platform.

        1. Yeah but to literally say it’s a bad OS is wrong, because it’s what suits your needs that count. Even if they have a small market share, it’s not like it’s going to suddenly die. I wish them luck, because as a platform, I like it, and I hope it continues to grow.

          1. It is just as locked down as iOS. No need for more OS that restrict a persons ownership of their own device.

          2. You make a valid point.. for power users like us. The average consumer doesn’t even know what open source means, or the garden wall approach. The average user isn’t going to download a custom launcher and theme there phone like we might. They’re not going to download an application that allows them to make gestures to perform certain tasks. See what I’m getting at? Even people who use Android don’t use it to it’s full potential.

          3. The average user likes having Amazon market as an option. They like being able to try out the facebook home. Those things were not made for power users. There many examples of this.

          4. The Amazon market? Not even I use that. But to each their own.

          5. “Yeah but to literally say it’s a bad OS is wrong”

            No one said that; he just said he didn’t care. Most of us don’t. It’s too little, too late from Microsoft, who had every opportunity to be a leader in phone OSs.

          6. It’s a bad OS.

          7. I never said that it was a bad OS. That said I think Windows Phone is a poorly conceived OS and nowhere near as functional as Android;)

          8. It could be a lot better. I have high hopes for WP 8.1. I won’t adopt yet though. I’d miss all the customization of my N4.

        2. Maybe that’s the genius of this ad. It gives the impression that they are the third largest when that may not be the case. Sounds smart to me.

        3. This is to Joe_HTH whose comment hasn’t been approved by the moderators so I can’t directly reply. First, go troll someone who cares what you’re peddling. Second, don’t ever call BS on me unless you know darn well what YOU’RE talking about. I have an excellent memory and remembered reading this about a year ago:

          http://m.cnet.com/news/harsh-windows-mobile-still-more-popular-than-windows-phone/57471890

          Now I prefaced what I mentioned that this data is old, but in my book is still freaking hilarious.

          So next time you feel like a drunken rant and calling random internet strangers names you should probably take a chill pill and do some research of your own.

  5. Pretty awesome commercial! They did a great job with this one

  6. Def a great commercial. Too bad windows phone is an ultimate FAIL

  7. Windows Phone 8 is a refreshing and ultimately satisfying experience. I’ve used Android for a decent chunk of time (since the OG Droid) and I just wanted something new. I’ve still got an Android phone that is filled with games and apps and whatnot (I use it for Steam 90% of the time, honestly). The 8X gives me a lot more in terms of productivity at my fingertips, without making me hunt for something. The stylized looks are great. The fact that it actually runs some pretty decent specs, isn’t bad either. It isn’t a beast like the Galaxy S4 and it doesn’t have the marketshare of Apple, but Windows Phone is good.

    I know that trying to make this case to a group of Android enthusiasts is silly, but I still poke around here and help out with problems that people have. I still really enjoy the platform, but I have become very disenchanted with where Android is heading. WP8 strikes a nice balance between the fruit-side and the robot-side and I really like it. I think that if given the chance, a lot of people would really like it.

    1. It’s been given a chance (or many) since it’s introduction a few years ago. It ain’t going anywhere fast. I own both iPhone and Android, but have no desire to own a Windows phone (boring as heck…yawn)

    2. Nice balance? It is just as locked down as iOS. Go away shill.

  8. Well played MS, well played….

  9. Lol gotta hand it to them in this one shame it’s a WP phone though

  10. Pretty hypocritical considering that they’re backing Oracle in their own war against Google over Android.

    1. ehh, Oracle is losing, and will continue to lose cause its a dinosaur fighting in a world full on modern companies.

  11. Okay I’ll admit that was pretty funny. Well done Microsoft, well done. After way too many ad campaigns that blow up in their face (#DroidRage, Bing vs Google challenge, “Smoked by Windows Phone” just to name the main ones) it appears they finally figured out how to poke fun at other smartphones in a genuinely funny way. Not that it’ll ever make me buy a Windows Phone, I’m not even going to touch that mess. But at least they finally got one ad right after many, so so many, failed attempts.

  12. win8 pos phone of the year

  13. Why can’t we all just… Get along? :-D
    But in all seriousness, you can smell the desperation oozing off Microsoft. The commercial was entertaining though…

    1. Desperation? Nah. Seems like a page from the Apple Playbook (no offense, RIM).

      How’s it any different than any of the “let’s take a function that’s been available on PCs/Android for years (something most non-tech people don’t know about) and imply that it’s our unique innovation” ads?

      1. I guess to me it comes across as desperate as WP is like a small dog who barks a lot, trying to make themselves appear bigger.

        1. What else is the small dog supposed to do?

          1. Wear argyle sweater vests and little bow-ties. ^_^

  14. lol funny ad to bad lumia sucks and microsoft well its just an all around sad story

  15. Pretty decent ad, I don’t think I would ever get a Windows Phone though. The UI is just so basic, it looks like an app running in an OS, but that’s the OS :/

  16. Yes !!! Switch to Lumia …and you will not have a SINGLE reason to argue/compare/discuss/fight with Most of the world( Android + iOS)

    1. Yeah, you’ll just hide in shame.

  17. I still think “Word Perfect” every time I see Windows Phone abbreviated as WP. Showing my age a little, I guess.

    1. Thought I was the only one…

  18. i love how they focused more on the items the competitors have than what their phones can do…

    1. they cant do anything :/

  19. Not a fan of Windows Phone or Nokia but the advert is entertaining.

  20. The Windows Phone gang has too little members so staying aside is safer.

    Actually I would like to see the bride and groom joining in too :P

    1. They’ve staying aside for the past few years, look how well that turned out for them hehe ;) The ad is funny though.

  21. The funniest thing is that the Lumia 920 is larger (total volume) than the Galaxy S4. All this while having last year internals.

  22. funny!

  23. I’m very satisfied with android and have never touched a win8 phone or a win8 pc and a commercial won’t change that.

  24. Does Anyone know about the 920? : D I can smell a bit of a backfire there…

  25. i swear this is the funniest commercial that i have seen an a while, i am not sure that it does any good to Microsoft though!

  26. Wait, isn’t Micro$oft saying in the commercial that they are so unknown that no one cares about their phones?

    I have to say it makes the other phones more appealing, thanks Micro$oft. Although Apple and Android didn’t need the help!

  27. The apple fan boys were getting clobbered! Every time you look, they were taking a beating! Lol… And Siri failed that old guy under the table, he should have used Google Now! It’s on iPhone now.

  28. It’s in the name of good competition. I think this is good for both companies, keeps them on their toes.

  29. Google should just pull the plug on the MS app. After all MS did attack Goole with their “scroogled” campaign. That’s what I would do if I were Google.
    MS plays dirty like Apple.
    And no they don’t all do it (just trying to anticipate your response)

  30. Way back 2010,my first smartphone is htc hd7,
    a Windows phone, it’s good and very smooth os
    but I changed it with htc g2 after a month of use,
    battery suck, lack of apps and no drag and drop application
    like Android os. This video begging us to switch to their
    platform, so pity, lack of attention, sorry… I’m not interested! :-(

  31. It’s true, I do like fighting.

  32. Windows phone has 1 advantage. Microsoft office mobile. That is the only good part of the entire windows phone OS, that I have found. Terrible browser, awful video player and lack of app support. As well as no notification centre. I like windows 8, as well as RT, but windows phone is a joke, an insult towards real smartphone users. I wish microsoft office was available on android and iOS. An asus transformer with microsoft office would be perfect.

  33. I’m confused. I come to this website for news about Android. But, I’m starting to see WP Propaganda slowly making it’s way here. You had one job “Phandroid”!

  34. this is a funny ad but whatever.

    phone wars are gay.

  35. uh, so what are the features?

  36. Looks like Samsung team was winning that fight, just saying

  37. I have no desire to EVER own a Windows Phone… that being said, if Android was no longer around, I’d eventually pick Windows Phone over iPhone because the OS is beautiful and out of restrictive OS’s it’s the better pick, for me.

    But even though this commercial is making fun of the rivalry between iOS and Android fans it’s still freaking hilarious. It could be a skit on a comedy show the only unfunny thing was the two kids with their Windows Phones literally the only thing demonstrated is what the OS looks like.

  38. 100% this^^^…Though I didn’t find the violence offensive in the way you may have meant, I found it so over-the-top as to be annoying. The dialogue was brilliant and smart….The point of the over-the-top fighting was not lost on me it only made me think to myself wow Micrsoft could have had a good thing in this ad yet the shot it to hell with their annoying over the top stunts…reminded me of the smugness of the Hello i’m a mac and i’m a PC shtick. Could have been great espcecially the “Excuse me would you mind moving your enormous phone!” lol…but alas they took a good thing and made a mess of it.

  39. I am an androiddict to the core of my bolts, but that commercial was fucking hilarious.

  40. That was an awesome commercial personally I like ios and android but I don’t care for Windows honestly.

  41. I love this commercial…probably their best since the “Really…” Commercial back when the OS was first announced.

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