Why Villains Never Use iPhones

Product placement is common in movies and TV shows, with companies paying to have their brand prominently displayed or subtly mentioned by a character. But Apple takes a different approach. Instead of paying money to a studio, they provide products for free as props. That’s how Modern Family used an Apple iPad in an episode that aired two days before the product’s release.

[@AppleExplained]

I've received quite a few emails asking how I make my videos, if you're interested in learning about it in a detailed course let me know here: greg-s-site-7f5d.thinkific.com/

[@killuazoldyck99405]

pee

[@Prime666]

I’m pretty sure you use the apple keynote app

[@cococinnamon2236]

You forgot CSI NY

[@yellowflash7696]

Just don’t use iPhones in films. There’s no one worse than apple in irl. 😂😂 ironic.

[@cococinnamon2236]

@@yellowflash7696 they should use Samsung phones instead 😂

[@M4NA5]

The Joker using an iPhone anyway: “It’s not about the money, it’s about sending an iMessage.”

[@tdxiswinning]

bro this is hilarious damn bro

[@GooseCee]

FUCKING GENIUS 😂

[@Jada-ky4ci]

Get this man an award 🥇

[@luclindt]

The Joker qualifies as classy rather than a common thief , I suppose ...

[@arsalanafroz]

LMFAOOO

[@gloryman7997]

Video summarized: Apple wants to be shown in the best manner, and not by villains because of evil. Apple wants to look normalized in movies so it can be normalized in real life

[@thedinobros1218]

So, greed?

[@Nakkisipuli]

Bro summarized a two minute video

[@xXmlgamingXx355]

@@thedinobros1218they’re giving said studios their devices for free in exchange for that, so not really.

[@DavidKen878]

@@thedinobros1218How does that equate to greed?

[@Persun_McPersonson]

Denormalize Apple

[@BlahajSam]

This is how i can see if someone is a villain in a movie

[@gr8dvd]

😂😂😂 Title should’ve been, "Apple product placement, SPOILER ALERT!"

[@UnseenVids]

Same, known this for years and it's ruined some movies for me. Oh well.

[@danieljustinperezperez4901]

Police: “Sir I’m going to have to arrest you for robbing this bank” Criminal: “Wait, I have an iPhone!” Police: “Oh, I’m sorry have a good day”

[@cardinalwoodpecker]

lol

[@luclindt]

Well I remember a movie in which the key idea was the villain had an iphone while the common person could open with touch id, proof he not being the villain.

[@jayb8934]

Like Rian Johnson was implying, it can literally be a spoiler in some stories when the villain’s identity is meant to be a mystery, and then you notice only one character isn’t using an iPhone.

[@laurenslee9134]

How many months away are we from Apple TV + content featuring their Vision Pro headset prominently in their shows/movies? You know it’s coming.

[@hikarikouno]

I really want a movie (or comedy) to show a character prominently using an "iphone" only to be revealed to be evil and someone comment: "but you're using an iphone!" and then reveal it was a chinese knock off instead.

[@laurenslee9134]

@@hikarikouno LMAO that would be great

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yeah you could also just use knockoffs in general and the audience probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Except for the most astute fans. ​@@hikarikouno

[@dominic7012]

Apple is a business that needs to be studied. It’s interesting how different the business model is and the amazing attention to detail.

[@CCherriosful]

You mean sociopathic. But people like that kind of crap anyway so you’re right.

[@Sakuyushi]

Greatest marketing company of all time with reliable products

[@gullible119]

@@Sakuyushiproducts to be obsolete*

[@Sakuyushi]

@@gullible119 bro still using Nokia?

[@0008loser]

Lmao

[@DrAnimePhD]

This rule has never made sense even moreso since Apple ignores it in their Apple TV+ shows and movies. So many villains in their shows use Apple products. Hell Rupert in Ted Lasso uses a damn Pro Display XDR!

[@1tsmecoral]

Wasn’t Dr. Eggmann also using an IPhone in Sonic 2?

[@rzpogi]

The rule doesn't mean villains can't use iphones. It's just movie studios have to buy their iphones for the characters instead of them getting free from Apple.

[@DavidKen878]

Well those are shows on their streaming service. Keyword being "their"

[@skyscraperfan]

@@rzpogi I wonder though why a movie studio would need to buy an iPhone instead of just using an iPhone that is already owned by a crew member anyway?

[@laurenslee9134]

@@skyscraperfanit may end up destroyed or damaged filming various scenes so crew members or cast are not going to use their own equipment They may make pretty respectable money but most of them aren’t making enough to needlessly warrant having to replace $1,000 iPhones throughout a shoot so use the free ones that Apple supplies and don’t have to worry in back of mind about product being permanently destroyed or damaged.

[@suyang4505]

I always think it’s ridiculous that every character with an iPhone uses it without a case. That is product placement overload.

[@bassentertainmentstudios1900]

Thank you! I’ve only EVER met two people in my entire life that use an iPhone without a case

[@iqzario4animations203]

I was thinking about this recently, imagine a character you think is a villain has an iPhone, genius subliminal messaging.

[@BackSpace101]

Has anyone ever watched a movie and thought to themselves. 'not enough people using iPhone, unrealistic.'

[@gir489returns2]

Bro how have I not found your channel before. You are amazing at explaining the things that just itch my annoyance vector, but I can't explain.

[@x78340]

Thank you Greg for making these concise and to the point videos. I’ve always admired you for that. 👍

[@BrothaNeo]

Watching and listening to this made me think about the importance of having LEVERAGE over my own stuff and setting BOUNDARIES too! Great video. Thank you.

[@plisskenetic]

True Fact - Michael Bay wanted to use an iPod as one of the things a little transformer turns into fr TF1 but Steve Jobs didn't allow him.

[@danarrib]

In Korean series and movies, it's the opposite. The good guys are always using Samsung phones, and the villains are always using iPhones.

[@casualtechreviewer1196]

I remember watching a Korean TV where everyone was using brand New Note10 at the time and actors treated them like diet, throwing them in the table

[@marcelomoellermota1537]

Great work! I thank you very much for your videos!

[@noahcarpenter68]

Didn’t the riddler use an iPhone in the Batman? It was taped to Colson’s hand

[@laurenslee9134]

Yes good eye 👁️ 👁️ He did. But Batman was shown using it the most and it was never shown as the Riddler placing it there on that bomb victim in the scene. The entire scene with the iPhone was spent in the hands of Batman.

[@Bob-1802]

So Neo, Morpheus and Trinity were the bad guys after all 😔

[@gavinthecrafter]

I saw a movie recently where all the protagonists used Google but the main antagonist (a deranged, murderous kidnapper) was shown to be using DuckDuckGo 😅

[@TheLordOfNothing]

I never noticed this. Fascinating.

[@souldreamer9056]

One possible exception would be House of Cards. There, the protagonist was a bad guy, and used apple products.

[@skulldude101]

Car companies whose cars are Decepticons 🗿

[@DavidKen878]

This explains why Apple is always being listed in the "Thanks to" section at the end of credits.

[@thecon_quererarbitraryname6286]

I disagree, the main villain (namely tim cook) actually presumably uses an I phone 😂

[@Hamood113]

Dr. Robotnik does in sonic. All the bad guys do.

[@Bloxed]

Knives Out kinda pulled one on Apple tho cuz while the characters who use them ain't villains, they are portrayed as scumbags

[@ethanator6015]

I’d add Season 4 of Cobra-Kai to this discussion, since a few villains are using iPhones and/or MacBooks.

[@rzpogi]

Movie studios can make bad guys use Apple products but they lose the Apple sponsorship. Also, when the Dark Knight was filmed, the iphone was just released. It isn't clear yet if the iphone would change the smartphone market forever.

[@SendFoodz]

I remember back in the day every prop phone was a Motorola RAZR, like 100% of phone portrayal in all television shows were Motorola RAZR, I always thought this was so strange

[@xXmlgamingXx355]

That’s a really smart move by Apple. Honestly, gotta give them credit for it.

[@reubencrees9817]

I’d love to find the original document he referenced so I could give it read

[@denissmith7671]

From the top of my head Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver's character) from Netflix's The Defenders used one

[@Historicutuber]

I never realized this till now

[@stormguard325]

I actually know one movie villain who used an iPhone - The talent agent from Disney’s Bolt. If you look closely in some scenes, you’ll notice that he uses an original iPhone.

[@Dvlopergamer]

Nice Video! 🎉

[@naufalam7840]

Tell me you stole more Macintoshes without stealing more Macintoshes

[@spocite]

“no your honor, i didn’t do it! i have an iphone!”

[@srepinS]

In real life, iPhones are only common in the US and maybe a few other places. 85 percent of people use androids.

[@laurenslee9134]

I don’t necessarily know that this statistic is true. I believe in Japan, more Japanese people use iPhones than android which is a little surprising but at the same time Sony is the only Japanese company that I can think of that makes smartphones and those phones are very, very niche Your other Android phone makers are out of Korea and China and Japan has long loved America. Hard to believe but they greatly respect America and would embrace American companies if they genuinely deliver products that appeal to them that are accessible. Most American products imported into Japan have such high tariffs that few choose to buy those and buy products-cars as an example-from their own nation.

[@srepinS]

I think the actual statistic is closer to 75. I was just approximating off the top of my head

[@laurenslee9134]

@@srepinS it’s definitely more Android phones/users out there in the world than iPhone But U.S. is dominantly iPhone for sure.

[@ameliazM]

Does this means mission impossible is an exception? Now I'm curious. Did they ask permission or seek approval or did they just did it and hoped Apple will interpret it as a positive light?

[@crixxalis]

LoL, in the Philippines cinema’s or series shows, all villains using latest iPhone always, and the main character using nokia or Samsung with the keyboard 😢 fact!

[@Emigdiosback]

The only villain to use iPhone is Michael DeSanta in GTA5

[@user-uc8no8zt6u]

BUT in an INDIAN cinema called Master starring vijay thalapathy, The villain uses iPhone X and its shown clearly(in think during interval scene)

[@miesals]

Or the production/prop provider could just buy the iPhone in a store and then use it in any way they want.

[@crixi__]

What stops studios from refusing the free props and buying iPhones with their budget? 🤔

[@N.G.H.]

I'm a villain and I use an iPhone. I'm still waiting for Apple to do something about it.

[@gr8dvd]

Was thinking video about real life villains (security, device tracking) from reading the title 😀

[@ajgmendescastelo]

So, basically, Hollywood studios think that showing a device that works with an OS that operates 70,3% (2023 numbers) of mobiles worldwide is “unrealistic”? Not a surprise they actually have not the slightest idea of what happens in real world…

[@lizardpeople]

Parasite is a SK movie so using Samsungs seems pretty normal to me

[@gullible119]

It’s not moneyy, it’s about.. sending an imessage..

[@jplsgaming4582]

Hey, why doesn’t Apple install the same camera on the iPad from the iPhone, does it have do with the design and components inside the iPad?

[@joetran8798]

So here is the question... If I, as a movie producer/director, purchase my own Apple products for the "bad guys" to use, can Apple do anything about it?

[@jonathan.legend]

No, because Apple didn't give you the product for free. If they did, then you have to abide by their rules

[@mileskenyon]

They would still try an sue you most likely @@jonathan.legend

[@mma0911]

Me who uses a Galaxy: guess I'm the bad guy

[@gr8dvd]

Hope cops don’t start profiling citizens on this basis…. tho wouldn’t mind seeing an SNL skit with this premise 😀

[@LambdaMiscellaneous]

@@gr8dvdandroid users blaming apple for all their problems (they have way more privileges than so many people, so shut up)

[@gr8dvd]

@@LambdaMiscellaneous Perhaps post-Xmas you can buy a sense-of-humor on sale. FYI I have remained in the Apple ecosystem since the Mac-SE intro… look it up.

[@anonymousinfinido2540]

how to andriod users have more priviliges.@@LambdaMiscellaneous

[@NTheBoy]

Another Video idea - why children like to use iPhone

[@NicolaiWeitkemper]

So what if they just buy Apple devices themselves? Compared to how large movie budgets are, the cost of the devices can't be a problem. Are they required to follow *everything* in Apple's guidelines just because of brand laws?

[@dperreno]

Correction, studios have to play by Apples rules if they are so cheap that they don't want to pay for their own Apple props.

[@mohamadamirulabdlah6089]

Meanwhile is malaysian drama, no matter u are rich or poor, the actor will use the latest iphone lineup, and they use iphone ringtones even though they are instead using android devices 😂

[@dustinbergeron7508]

Could they use their personal iPhone ?

[@ChandanYadav-bx5xz]

Can uh make on why apple discontinued magsafe battery pack?

[@Quasofan]

Evangelion 3.0+1.0 is probably the only movie where the antagonist was using an iPhone.

[@pranaveshchander8618]

If you look at Indian movies or Asian movies, most of the villains (especially rich ones) , are always around with the Iphone and mostly this would be a pro model. ! :D

[@MinecraftPony155]

It's realistic to include ipads and airpods, but when it comes to phones, most people I know use Samsung or other Android brands. The people I know that always buy an iPhone are usually the ones that aren't as interested in higher education. Meanwhile in college, most people have Androids. I don't know if there's an actual correlation, but it's just something that I've noticed.

[@MinecraftPony155]

@@renegadepuppy nope, I'm in Europe

[@Jj82op]

Perhaps they are just aware of certain details, tech products, depending on what they study too. While others just default to Apple because it is most popular, not because it is something they need specifically of an iPhone.

[@shadow3oni]

there are tons of reasons for this, if you are in the USA the market is dominated by iPhone, while in other countries due to many reasons they use android, reasons such as monetary income, hate towards the USA and/or apple products, the no need of imessage because of whatsapp, the integration between android devices, jobs not revolving macs, the amount of apps you can instal on android devices. Well... in any case, it revolves in your needs, and the iphone is a simplier device for people who dont need all what android can offer.

[@dwa3210]

In the US, most iPhone users are in higher education because they started using it in middle school and some high school. Apple believes the younger, the better. Which is why most people here have a combination of iPhone and other Apple products in their possession.

[@VirginiaPalette]

When I was a student, I used android phones because they are cheaper and to minimize the risk of getting robbed. When you have iPhone or expensive items, it will create envy and jealousy, and attract the attention of bad people who will try to steal it from you. Now that I am an adult, i use iPhone. And all my highly educated friends/former classmates all uses apple products as well. It’s not about your education level, but how much you are willing to invest in a smartphone. Some people are ok with android phones because they are cheaper and have similar quality as iPhone, or maybe because they like to be able to personalize and hack etc. Whereas, some people prefers iPhone because the design is simpler, the interface is more user-friendly, they have other apple products such as ipad, it’s less likely to have viruses or maybe to show their status. At the end of the day, it’s your own money and it depends on what you need and whether you can afford it. People uses their phone on a daily basis, as a work tool, as a camera, to plat games etc etc. So you gotta make sure that the phone fits your needs and can handle your workflow :)

[@milostivo]

Does this mean, that if Apple didn't give their products to filmmakers, they shouldn't follow all these rules? Because in my country there are iphones in villains hands, I feel like Apple just can't exert pressure on filmmakers from other countries, where they just do whatever they want

[@snowhunter7536]

Okay, but I don’t understand why you displayed Kim Ki-jeung and Kim Ki-woo as examples of villains not using iPhones. I watched the film, and, yes, they did nasty things (Ki-jeung’s a sociopath and Ki-wook’s manipulative), but the film never portrayed them as villains, nor the Parks. They can be referred to as villain protagonists, but I’m not really sure if I should call them full villains. In fact, the villain there is the 1% (personified by the Parks) and the culture of high socio-economic gap. Totally abstract characters.

[@johnnygames927]

I bought two macintoshes

[@cliked]

There are some villians with iphones

[@TBBlue101]

Makes me wonder about the movies in which Apple products are damaged or destroyed.

[@LinkedHero]

Apple is such an odd company that you will never run out of video ideas

[@DavidKen878]

Did you not hear the part about them giving TV shows and movies products for free? What's odd about that?

[@LinkedHero]

@@DavidKen878 I never said that that's odd.

[@DavidKen878]

@@LinkedHero My bad. You called them odd but didn't give a reason.

[@warmoaran3]

@@DavidKen878 they are odd in many many ways.

[@idiotbrownie1525]

imma try to forget this because this might spoil many movies.

[@millmaster413]

The people from Parasite are not villains 💀It’s not even made in Hollywood lol. Kinda ironic how your putting them as villains given the context of the film lmao

[@PankoBreading]

I wonder if my dude even watched the film, or if he did, what was the conclusion he arrived at upon finishing the film 💀

[@dere9k]

Hey, do you know why everyone in an Apple TV+ show, Slow Horses uses an older iPhone? Looks like they use iPhone 6. It’s so weird to me. I would think Apple wanna present the latest iPhone but I don’t know.

[@bluezul75]

confused why studios can't buy their own apple products and use them however they want?

[@mikemayorov2195]

Because villains don't have much time to fiddle with low quality equipment.

[@CatDogDailyPosts]

I don’t know man but SOME villains are more influential than the heroes. Idk.

[@gobinizar]

The series "Shrinking" on Apple TV features every character using apple products wherever that may be an option: especially macbooks and iphones. They are indeed used "naturally", as stated in the guidelines you've mentioned. If the need for device manufacturer variety within its shows is any indication of the performance of a streaming platform, than perhaps this speaks to "why" of the reason Apple TV is not suffering from this cloud of inclusion which more broad productions from "rival" streaming services suffer, as you've highlighted here. Anyhow, looking forward to further see the technology in "Severance", another great Apple TV series.

[@staiain]

That moment when you learn who the villain is 3 seasons too early and get the narrative completely ruined becasue he is the only one who is using an android in the group

[@KidHowren]

Casino Royale came out before the iphone so Le Chiffre couldn't have used one even if he wanted to. unsubscribed

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

Not to mention Casino Royale itself is a Sony product.

[@irwinrosss]

How does in-display fingerprint works on most android phones and why iphone dont have one?

[@shamil454]

It's like how people connect Toyota pickups with terrorists.

[@Mahbodiran]

Wow, i never paid attention to that

[@JustAPersonWhoComments]

Villains never use iPhones because they can't stand the thought of Siri interrupting their evil monologues with “Sorry, I didn't quite get that”

[@Lowqfacts]

How to know if the person is a secret hero or actually is a villain:

[@victorgates1879]

So can someone explain why the Squid Game organization in Squid Game used Apple iMac?

[@darthrevan9086]

What about Terry Silver in Cobra Kai? I swear he had a ten or eleven

[@Johnnyde94v2]

Yes!

[@superluigi5762]

Ok but what about in sonic 2 when Tom uses his iPhone 12 Pro in graphite it’s shown in best light! Also there is sonic with a blue iPhone 12 mini! Kinda thought that was cool

[@zelloguy]

IDK man...Ed and Rummy from the Boondocks used iphones lol. Granted that was an animated show but still.

[@lupejvasquez]

I absolutely HATE when movies make advertisements extremely obvious. The angles become weird, the posturing is unnatural and it completely yanks me out of the movie.

[@iblackfeathers]

in the future, when old apple products are out of copyright, creators can use them without stipultations like the original mickey mouse. 😂

[@JoBot__]

Pff, I dunno if any of them will last that long.

[@DavidKen878]

Apple products aren't protected by a copyright, they're trademarked. And trademarks don't expire the way copyrights do.

[@luclindt]

​@@DavidKen878trademark is a kind of copyright. You mean the logo?

[@skyscraperfan]

They can already use them in any way they want, but the will not get them for free. There is no way for Apple to stop an Apple product from appearing in a movie.

[@tpgYT.]

Some movie did used apple product

[@samuraiintellectual]

To quote Steve Jobs “you’re using it wrong”. Yeah nobody mentions the Apple tax in movies or tv.

[@Tech_Code127-76]

Nice Vid

[@jarencascino7604]

But if the studios pay for the devices, can’t they do whatever they want?

[@BlumChoi]

Why can’t the production team just pay for iphones? The movies already have a few millions in budget, it it really not worth to spend a few thousands more for artistic freedom?

[@indrahaseo]

oh i didn’t noticed that before lol

[@smiledawg]

I mean villains are often the coolest character in the movie, them using a product would make it seem badass

[@BobbyMasteria]

WTF ??? are you saying cinema studios can't afford apple products as props ? or that there is a law that prevents directors and cinema studios from giving a bad sight to trademarks of their choice ? nonsense

[@danielandrade1214]

I know all this but Parasite's main characters aren't using iPhones cause they're "villains", they're not using them cause they're poor

[@fbiagentmiyakohoshino8223]

because theyre not that evil jk

[@tuccek8398]

This is why Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible used iPhones 4, iPads, PowerBook and others :D

0:30 But the text you’re reciting refers purely to developers who want to show that their developed software also works with Apple products and has nothing to do with showing in movies and series.