They’ve been out for the last few days, so you’ve probably already seen one or both of the two new TV spots where Apple hops in to aid AT&T. The ads attack rival carriers by flaunting the iPhone’s ability to perform 3G-related activities while on a voice call, and end with the question “Can your phone, and your network do that?” Then the AT&T logo then flashes on the screen in a show of solidarity right before Apple’s.
The ads follow strong assaults on TV by Verizon designed to exploit what it believes is a weak chink in the iPhone’s shiny armor, namely AT&T’s 3G coverage.
But the ads also follow one early indication that young men are deserting the iPhone en masse, as reported by CoM in a previous post.
So, are these ads a show of strength? Or is Apple feeling the heat?
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
