Samsung (and the Internet) throws meme jabs at Apple's new range, but do fans really care?

No surprise, but Samsung has once again taken a jab at Apple’s latest iPhone 16 series for its continued absence in the foldable smartphone market.  This comes after Apple unveiled its iPhone range with built-in artificial intelligence functions on Monday, alongside other new products such as the Apple Watch Series 10 and an updated Apple Watch Ultra 2.  

According to Samsung’s X account, it posted an old message that read, “Let us know when it folds,” and “still waiting”, making fun of Apple’s lack of foldable technology, when compared to Samsung’s own developments in the area, particularly with its popular Galaxy Z Fold6. 

Apart from Samsung, netizen memes surrounding the latest iPhone 16 and Apple’s 2024 Event also flooded the internet and social media, creating laughable moments for Apple’s latest “game-changing” move. 

YouTuber Quinn Nelson turned to X to mock Apple for its lack of originality, with a post saying “’Beautiful new design’. Uh, that’s the same.”  Some netizens also posted memes to compare the iPhone 16 with iPhone 15, citing the minor changes on the aesthetic side rather than an actual upgrade of the smartphone. Meanwhile, others compared the two iPhones with adjacent photos showing the barely noticeable differences, mainly the camera placement. 

Financial advisor Douglas A. Boneparth also posted on X saying: "Apple just keeps making the same products over and over again thinking its customers will keep buying them."

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Apple for a statement. 

Apple's iPhone 16 memes on social media

This isn’t the first time Apple's event has gotten brands and consumers poking fun. Despite this, Apple still remains one of the most loved brands globally and has stayed true to its evolution of its products being iterations rather than full-on new launches. 

In fact, Apple has become the world’s first trillion-dollar brand, according to the newly released Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands Report 2024. Holding the number one position for the third consecutive year, Apple is joined at the top of the ranking by Google, Microsoft and Amazon.  

Oliver Budgen, founder and CEO, Bud Communications, shared the opinion that Apple products are more iteration rather than innovation and that “those who already love Apple products won’t be phased by negative memes"

"The detractors aren’t Apple’s target market anyway,” he added. 

What keeps Apple’s fans loyal and its products in hands year after year, is the vibe of luxury, innovation and simplicity into a strong brand identity that sticks with consumers, added David Ko, managing director, RFI Asia.

“Apple has mastered the art of making tech not just functional but fashionable. Apple gadgets aren't just tools; they're part of your lifestyle, seamlessly blending their hardware and software into something that feels indispensable. The emotional chord they strike with their storytelling and marketing, that's not just smart—it's magnetic.” 

Agreeing with Ko was Desmond Ku, founder of The Bridge Agency, who said there are other features of Apple products that attract consumers apart from foldable technology, such as AI, video filming quality and the appearance of Apple products. 

Are the memes and jokes working in Apple’s favour in some way? 

While Apple has gotten used to being poked fun at its products and designs, the memes and jokes that fly around every time Apple launches something new actually play into Apple's hands, said Ko.  

Every playful jab adds to the buzz, thrusting Apple back into the spotlight and sparking conversations all over social media, he added. “This isn’t just noise; it’s like a free ad campaign that keeps Apple as a hot topic, reinforcing its place at the centre of tech talk.” 

“Even the critics, while they may point out flaws, end up feeding the narrative that Apple’s creations are something you can’t ignore,” he said. 

By leveraging the user-generated content, these jokes have organically assisted the new product launch by creating buzz and awareness, albeit tainted with slight negativity, according to David Lim, Co-founder and Fractional CMO, Avante Strategies.   

On the other hand, the incident also highlights a lack of attention to customers’ voices, which signals a weak value proposition from a product perspective, he added.  

“Mobile devices have evolved over the past few years to integrate more powerful features in both hardware and software. Ignoring these memes and jokes, which are impregnated with underlying consumer sentiments, can be dangerous in the long run,” he added. 

Marketers must remember how complacency has cost some iconic brands their success by failing to keep up with competitors, in this case, other Android brands, Lim suggested. “As the saying goes 'some jokes are not funny anymore after a while'.” 

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