Gen Z perspectives: Samsung turns up the heat on Apple’s big fold

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes.

This week, we dove deep into Apple’s latest launch. From Samsung’s cheeky digs to brands jumping in on the fold, Apple’s big reveal gave the internet plenty to play with.

Safe to say, there’s lots to unfold this week.

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1. Samsung finds a Tim Cook who’s ready to switch sides

Samsung New Zealand has found itself a rather convenient new Galaxy convert: Tim Cook. Just not "that" Tim Cook.

In a series of cheeky social videos, the brand enlisted Tim Cook from Palmerston North, New Zealand, to sing the praises of its Galaxy Z Fold8, playing on the name he shares with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Read more here. 

2. Samsung takes a bite at Apple as brands jump on the foldable iPhone

Apple’s latest iPhone launch has already drawn a familiar response from one of its biggest rivals, with Samsung wasting little time poking fun at the tech giant’s latest moves.

Samsung Mobile US took to X on 10 September with a string of posts reacting to Apple's launch. “So far, so same,” it said alongside the hashtag #ItsTimeToSwitch, before following up with several digs at Apple's products and features.

Read more here. 

3. iPhone 18 gets the world talking, but are consumers buying the hype?

Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone market has generated plenty of buzz, but consumers are already asking whether the innovation is worth its premium price tag.

The launch of the iPhone 18 lineup generated 464,674 mentions and 21.5 million engagements globally between 12 August and 11 September, according to data from media intelligence firm CARMA. Conversation peaked on 9 September, when mentions hit 97,013 in a single interval.

Read more here. 

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