Also, I'm not quite sure how much of it is actual bullying vs. the kid feeling left out in a friend group because everyone else is sharing iPhone only stuff (games, etc).
I'd like to point out this is correct, but also for another reason.
The child is being bullied, period. What they choose to ostracize him for is irrelevant. You cannot simply relocate the child in the social hierarchy by removing that single point of contention, because they will find another. After all, if he was more well liked, would they still bully him for having a different phone?
Well, it is an answer. An easy and effective one in this precise situation.
We’re not talking about changing the whole kid’s personality here. He probably didn’t make the choice of an Android phone himself.
And I say this as someone who really doesn't like Apple and has only had Android phones.
You can also buy them a pump gun and teach them how to deal with bullies, but that's being frowned upon.