Apple's Phil Schiller smack-talks Samsung's Galaxy S4
Apple takes a shot at Samsung just ahead of the big Galaxy S4 launch
Samsung is scheduled to finally take the wraps off its Galaxy S4 during its Unpacked event later today. But timing poses no issue when taking cheap shots, as Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller proved recently when he criticized Samsung in an interview with Reuters, calling attention to the fact that the Korean smartphone maker is releasing a brand new phone with an outdated operating system. Oh, and this is after he reportedly called Google's Android OS a "free replacement for a feature phone" during an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Here's what he said:
"We are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old. Customers will have to wait to get an update."
He reportedly went on to point out that more than 50 percent of iOS users are already running Apple's latest update. And that apparently some recent data claims that folks who own iOS devices use them more often than those who have Android-based handsets.
Schiller certainly makes a relevant point about Android's outdated operating system (especially with Key Lime Pie expected to launch as soon as May during Googles I/O developer's conference), but calling negative attention to the competitor may not be the most effective way of handling the issue. The comments aren't at all surprising, though, as Apple continues to face fierce competition from Samsung's Galaxy lineup. That kind of pressure is also likely part of the reason we've been hearing so much talk about the possibility of a cheaper iPhone hitting the market sometime this year.
We do know that Apple is expected to launch an updated version of its iPhone (currently there's talk of an iPhone 5S and an iPhone 6) later this year. But it's currently believed that the newest device will mainly deal with minor updates and improvements rather than drastic new changes.
As for Samsung's Galaxy S4, we'll be covering the Unpacked event live, starting at 5 p.m. EST, so stay tuned for details.
