If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Google is feeling very flattered—and also kind of smug. In the latest episode of its Best Phones Forever video series, Google’s Pixel phone has a sit-down with the iPhone to discuss some “completely unconfirmed, totally speculative, but maybe suspiciously familiar” design leaks for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.
In the skit, the Pixel politely (read: smugly) points out that the leaked iPhone 17 Air camera layout looks a lot like, well, its own. Specifically, the signature horizontal camera bar that’s been a Pixel staple since 2021. The iPhone, for its part, tries to downplay the resemblance, essentially saying, “We all borrow from each other, right?”—which is fair, considering the Pixel also mysteriously developed a taste for flat edges sometime after Apple made them cool again.
This isn’t the first time design deja vu has caused smartphone companies to raise a knowing eyebrow. The iPhone 17 Air—which may or may not be thinner than a potato chip—could bring back the era of ultra-thin phones no one asked for but everyone will somehow still buy. And yes, its possibly Pixel-esque camera design is already inspiring side-by-side comparisons and snarky commentary, mostly from Google itself.
To be clear, the leaks are just that: leaks. Apple hasn’t confirmed anything, and the final product could look entirely different. Maybe it’ll have three cameras, or maybe it’ll have one shaped like a pineapple. Who’s to say? But that hasn’t stopped Google from using the rumor mill as a comedy goldmine, with the Pixel in the video teasing the iPhone for “borrowing” features like Night Mode, widgets, and Magic Eraser—years after the Pixel introduced them.
The iPhone fires back by parroting the Pixel’s own PR line about how these are just rumors. It’s awkward. It’s petty. It’s basically Twitter in video form.
And while it’s easy to get caught up in who copied whom, the reality is that smartphone design is a giant group project where everyone peeks at each other’s homework. Whether it’s camera bars, flat edges, or mysterious AI-powered photo tricks, chances are it’s all been done—or about to be done—by everyone.
So if the iPhone 17 Air ends up looking like a Pixel, and the Pixel already looks like an iPhone with glasses, maybe we’ve just reached the endgame: all phones slowly morphing into the same sleek rectangle with feelings.
