2 min read
On September 9, 2025, Apple took center stage with its “Awe Dropping” event to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, featuring the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, iPhone Air, updated AirPods, and Apple Watch Series 11, among others. At the same time, Samsung US was live on X, throwing jabs with its latest trolling campaign under the hashtag #iCant.
Samsung’s posts included lines like
- “#iCant believe this is still relevant” aimed at the foldable category
- “48MP x 3 still doesn’t equal 200MP #iCant,” which undercuts Apple’s upgrades
- Another dig: “#iCant believe some people had to wait 5 years for Sleep Score” and “Welcome to the party #iCant,” referring to Apple’s live translation features.
Apple Crowd Turns the Tables
Apple’s fans were not silent. In comment threads under Samsung’s posts, many pushed back hard. Some fired critiques over Samsung’s focus on megapixels, arguing “Better than 200MP AI-generated Moon Pictures” and “200 MP still doesn’t equal good-looking pictures.”
Others pointed out that comparing a 48MP ×3 setup with a single 200MP sensor “says a lot about your camera,” but doesn’t define photo quality. They accused Samsung of hypocrisy for mocking features that Samsung itself later adopted or discarded.
A Marketing Tug-of-War
The digital spat highlights how important social media wars have become in tech rivalries. Samsung clearly aimed to steal attention from Apple’s launch by riding on criticism, while Apple fans used the moment not only to defend what Apple showed but also to spotlight where Samsung may not always live up to its own boasts.
In past years, Samsung has used similar tactics: resurrecting old tweets like “Let us know when it folds” or mocking Apple’s omission of features once celebrated, like live translation or Sleep Score.
What makes this year different is how fast Apple fans responded and how many leaned into calling out not just the trolling but what they see as performative comparisons.
All said, this face-off isn’t new. It follows a pattern: Apple unveils hardware and software, Samsung responds with shade, Apple fans defend, and the internet picks sides. It is marketed as a sport.
For Samsung, the #iCant campaign reinforces its image as a challenger brand willing to make noise. For Apple, this might be a test of whether features and build quality can drown out the noise.
