While Apple’s Maps Falters, the Android Ad Men Fight Dirty

Haters are always gonna hate. Especially in the mobile industry, where the race for market share is as cutthroat as ever.

Which is why I wasn’t surprised when, in the days leading up to the iPhone 5’s launch, a few of Apple’s largest competitors decided to go for the low blow.

Samsung, for example, essentially aired a redux version of its ads that ran with the launch of the iPhone 4S; Samsung’s new ad is a parody of the fervor surrounding each iPhone launch, depicting the scores of eager line-sitters waiting outside of Apple stores. Those holding the Galaxy S3, Samsung’s recent flagship Android smartphone, look down upon the Apple acolytes.

My first inclination? This has to be a bit of Google schadenfreude, taking much delight in the litany of criticism raining down on Apple for removing Google Maps from its new iOS 6 software and replacing it with an inferior version of Apple’s proprietary software. Perhaps the Google-owned Moto just couldn’t help but leap at the chance to kick an opponent while it was down.

Update: 4:55 PT: As a reader reminds, it’s not like Apple didn’t have this sort of thing coming. Remember the (rather annoying) “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” ads of yesteryear? The Cupertino company isn’t afraid to throw an elbow or two.

Funny, though — despite the near-universal contempt for the new Maps, Apple’s devices still seem to be going fast; the company sold two million preordered iPhone 5s in the first 24 hours of the phone being available.

For what it’s worth, Apple just launched its own series of mobile ads on Friday; they’re smart and, overall, very good.

Not surprisingly, there’s no mention of Maps in them.