Google takes a dig at iPhone 17 Pro in new ‘Wicked’-themed Pixel Pro ad

Google has taken another cheeky swipe at Apple with a new commercial for the Pixel Pro 10, recasting the tech rivalry as a playful scene inspired by the musical Wicked. The one-minute film imagines a purple iPhone 17 Pro as Glinda, the upbeat “good witch”, while the green-hued Pixel Pro 10 stands in for Elphaba, the misunderstood “wicked witch”.

Leaning into the theatrical premise, the advertisement uses the parody to underline Google’s long-standing claim that many of Apple’s newest features were available on Pixel devices first. In the video, the iPhone 17 Pro beams with gratitude for its “friend” Pixel, thanking it for “inspiring” functions that Apple now markets as cutting-edge — including AI-led photo enhancements and more natural conversational assistant tools, technologies Google says have been part of the Pixel suite for years.

As the pair break into an actual duet using a Wicked track, the message is delivered with characteristic lightness but pointed intent: Google positions itself as the genuine innovator, with Apple framed as the eager adopter.

The approach mirrors Google’s earlier marketing playbook. In 2023, the “Best Phones Forever” campaign portrayed the iPhone 14 Pro and Pixel handsets as awkward but affectionate companions. Prior to that, Google frequently ribbed Apple over its reluctance to embrace wider industry standards such as RCS — though not always seamlessly, as exemplified by a now-infamous incident where Google’s social team criticised Apple while posting from an iPhone.