Apple is on the attack just hours before Samsung is expected to showcase the Galaxy S4 at a media event in New York City. In two recently published rare interviews, Apple's Phil Schiller took shots at Google's Android mobile operating system and rumors regarding Samsung's upcoming handset.
Speaking with Reuters, Schiller said Apple's own research shows that the majority of Android users were stuck using outdated versions of the software. He said that over half are still on software that is two years old - in line with recent platform data released by Google. What's more, he said Apple is hearing news that the Galaxy S4 may ship with an OS that is nearly a year old. We should know more on that latter statement soon enough.
During a similar chat with The Wall Street Journal, Schiller added that Android is often given as a free replacement for a feature phone, claiming the experience isn't as good as an iPhone. The problem, he said, is that components in Android devices come from multiple companies whereas Apple handles all of the hardware and the software for iPhones.
He said that when you take an Android device out of the box, you have to sign up for nine accounts with different vendors to get the experience iOS delivers. Simply put, he said, they don't work seamlessly together.
These bold statements come at a time when Apple is uncharacteristically struggling. Shares in Cupertino have fallen from a high of $702.10 last September to just south of $430 as analysts continue to reevaluate their forecasts. Samsung, on the other hand, has been riding a wave of success led by key products like the Galaxy line of smartphones and the Note II.