Google Channels Jony Ive in Ad Promoting Pixel 5a Headphone Jack

Google today shared a new Pixel 5a ad that's meant to parody some of the product intro videos that former Apple design chief Jony Ive used to make to highlight new iPhone features.


In the video, Google spends a full two minutes describing the design of the Pixel 5a's headphone jack in exaggeratory language, and as noted by CNET, there are even two moments where the video uses Ive's British pronunciation of aluminum. From the video description:

Calling this perfectly-symmetrical, technological marvel, a "headphone jack" may feel like an understatement...but technically, that's what it's called, so... fair enough. Behold! The Headphone Jack, on the Google Pixel 5a with 5G.

Since Jony Ive is no longer Apple's design chief and does not make Apple's product videos, it's not clear why Google has opted to make a video imitating him two years after he left the company. A video promoting the headphone jack is also an unusual choice as fervor over the component has died down now that many high-end smartphones have eliminated it, including Google's own flagship Pixel models.

The $449 Pixel 5a goes on sale today. In addition to a headphone jack, it features a 6.3-inch display with hole punch camera cutout, IP67 water resistance, 5G connectivity, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip.

Google's Pixel 5a competes with the $699 iPhone 12 mini and the $399 ‌iPhone‌ SE at the current time, but Apple plans to release an upgraded 5G version of the iPhone SE for 2022.

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...

Top Rated Comments

Attirex Avatar
53 months ago
Ppl: That was really funny.
Ppl: That was stupid.

....aaaaaand that pretty much sums up what will be the 20 pages of this thread. OK, good night!
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gsmornot Avatar
53 months ago
I think it was funny. After years of events I get the context of the video.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wyarp Avatar
53 months ago
"Ive's British pronunciation of aluminum" ... You mean the CORRECT pronunciation of AL-U-MIN-IUM!?
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
florida man Avatar
53 months ago
I’m in the “it was funny” camp.

Apple pioneered the practice of breathless hyperbole narration over close-up device video, which is kind of ridiculous if you take a second to think about it.

If you can’t laugh at this, you’re taking your smartphone to seriously.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mi7chy Avatar
53 months ago

Feels super late and not very relevant. I don't know anyone who uses wired headphones on a smart phone.
Obviously you're not an audio enthusiast. Wired is still best for quality, latency and no downtime from having to recharge wireless earbuds.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JDuggan Avatar
53 months ago
Might've been funny like 8 years ago.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)