Apple Exec Slams Android Ahead of Samsung Galaxy S IV Launch

Samsung will unveil their much-hyped Galaxy S IV phone Thursday, but one of Apple's top execs decided to preempt the event by going on the attack.

Phil Schiller, Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing, criticized Android — and Samsung by association — in interviews with Bloomberg, Reuters and The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

"Android is often given as a free replacement for a feature phone and the experience isn't as good as an iPhone," Schiller said in the interview with the Journal.

In particular, Schiller criticized Android for fragmentation (noting that only 16% of Android users are on the latest operating system) and an overly complicated experience of setting up and using the devices