Apple’s ‘I’m a Mac’ guy returns to promote Windows on Arm PCs

Justin Long, who starred in Apple’s 'Get a Mac' commercials, has returned to the spotlight, this time promoting Qualcomm-powered Windows PCs. During the Computex 2024 keynote hosted by Qualcomm, Long featured in a 30-second skit where he humorously struggles with macOS notifications and nags before searching for a Snapdragon-powered Windows PC. This switch underscores a significant shift for Long, who had previously defected to Intel to mock Apple features in a series of advertisements in 2021.

The new commercial orchestrated by Qualcomm is part of a larger narrative of competition against Apple's MacBook Air, as Microsoft and Qualcomm bolster their claims with benchmarks demonstrating superior battery life and performance in Windows on Arm PCs. The event highlighted the upcoming launch of Copilot Plus PCs leveraging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips, scheduled for release on June 18th. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon emphasized this change in Long's loyalties and the technological shifts within the industry by reiterating, 'things do change,' at the close of his presentation.

This strategic marketing move comes in the wake of continuing developments in the computing industry, especially the transitions away from traditional Intel chips towards more efficient ARM architectures in personal computing. Long's involvement is a significant emblem of these shifting allegiances and the intensifying competition between leading tech giants. The ad not only revisits the Mac vs. PC debate but also signals a growing battleground in the PC market, where performance and user experience are increasingly dictated by evolving chip technologies and integrated software ecosystems.