Verizon’s Droid Ads Blatantly Rip On iPhone

It’s on! Verizon Wireless is going on the offensive against Apple’s iPhone with an ad for its upcoming Droid smartphone. The phone still hasn’t been announced officially, but tech watchers generally agree that the device in question is Motorola’s “Sholes.” Like the phone maker’s CLIQ, the Droid has fast hardware, a fancy touch screen and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but while the CLIQ offered a unique solution for social networking addicts, the Droid looks to be an all-purpose device showcasing Google’s Android mobile platform. And the ad, which launched over the weekend, points out everything it does that the iPhone does not.

The ad couldn’t be more heavy-handed in its Apple parody, with black text on white background complemented by cheery folk music. Using the work “iDon’t” to precede every feature the Droid has, the ad cleverly weaves techie stuff “iDon’t allow open development” and “iDon’t customize” with things the average user will know and care about “iDon’t take pictures in the dark” and “iDon’t run simultaneous apps.” Along with the ad, Verizon has launched a Web site, DroidDoes.com, to further its Apple bashing.

Pair all of this with Verizon’s recent “there’s a map for that” ads, and you’ve got good reason not to hold out for that Verizon Wireless iPhone.