Apple and Android may forever be locked in a fight for mobile domination, but they take very different approaches to their quest for market share. On the one hand, there are more than 2 billion active Android devices in use around the world. On the other, Apple makes gobs of money from selling just a handful of handsets.
But like the PC wars of the 90s, Apple isn’t content with such a slim slice of the market. While it has had a Move to iOS app in the Play Store for a while now, Apple is now taking the fight directly to Android users with a new campaign devoted to switching.
Head over to the iPhone tab on Apple.com and you’ll see a new box in the middle of the page. Called “Why Switch,” it declares that “Life is easier on the iPhone,” and offers 10 questions potential switchers might be asking:
- Will it be easy to switch?
- Is the camera as good as they say?
- Why is the iPhone so fast?
- Will iPhone be easy to use?
- How does iPhone help protect my personal information?
- What makes Messages so great?
- Can I get help from a real person?
- Can I switch at an Apple Store?
- What about the environment?
- Will I love my iPhone?
And finally, it asks, “Are you ready to switch?” while offering links to purchase all five of the phone models. The site also promotes Apple’s trade-in policy, boasting up to $260 in credits.
There is also a series of videos on Apple’s YouTube channel to highlight many of the points, including speed, ease of switching, and privacy. It’s unclear whether Apple plans on taking the campaign beyond the web, but it’s not too hard to see a TV or print campaign accompanying the site.
Earlier this year, Google unveiled its own switching site, coinciding with a new transfer tool that synced your contacts, calendar entries, and photos through Google Drive. It’s similar in practice to Apple’s Move to iOS app, but doesn’t require the installation of app you won’t need after the transfer is finished.
Apple ran a highly successful switcher campaign in the early 2000s, which used real people to tell stories about why they moved to a Mac. While Tim Cook has said upwards of 30 percent of new iPhone buyers are making the switch from an Android phone, Apple hasn’t previously launched an ad campaign targeted at Android.
Flip the switch: It’s no secret that Apple is looking for signs of growth. While the upcoming iPhone 8 will surely boost sales in the holiday quarter, Apple still needs to generate excitement during the rest of the year, which has proven difficult due to a steady stream of rumors and flagship competitors from the likes of LG and Samsung. But a new switcher campaign could be just what the doctor ordered.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.