Apple Watch reveals new Pride Edition band

Today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT), Apple is debuting the company’s newest Apple Watch Pride Edition band and dynamic watch face. Both the band and the face incorporate a broader set of colours than previous Pride bands, and were inspired by the multiple Pride flags the LGBTQ+ community throughout history. The announcement comes one month before the Toronto Pride Run, giving Canadian runners a chance to get their hands on the new band before they take to the streets in support of our country’s LGBTQ+ community.

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This new band aims to represent the diverse and multicultural activists who have been at the heart of the LGBTQ+ community since the beginning, and to honour that history as well as the work that still needs to be done. Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in a statement that Black, brown and transgender activists have been key leaders in the march toward equality, even before the events at the Stonewall Inn brought the LGBTQ+ movement to new prominence.

“On many fronts, Apple supports the ongoing and unfinished work of equality for diverse and intersectional communities, and we want to provide every opportunity to celebrate and honour this history during Pride season,” he added.

The band

The Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop, made from recycled stretchable yarn and silicon threads, combines the traditional rainbow colours of the Pride flag with colours from other Pride flags to represent the diversity of the community, the breadth of experiences among its members, and the history of the LGBTQ+ movement. The black and brown threads symbolize the black and Latinx communities, as well as those who have passed away from or who are living with HIV/AIDS. The light blue, pink and white threads represent transgender and nonbinary individuals.

The Nike sport band

Apple has also included a sport loop in the lineup, which showcases six colours of the original rainbow and is made with reflective yarn to help make you more visible when you run at night. The band is durable and comfortable, and is the perfect option for anyone participating in this year’s Pride Run.

The face

Finally, the watch face mirrors the colours of the band and with the rotation of the Digital Crown, the threads on the watch face infinitely scroll and animate with a raise of the wrist. Apple is also including new App Clip functionality within the band packaging to deliver a simple and convenient way for you to immediately access the new matching watch face.

The new bands are available as of May 17 for purchase online, and will be available in-store as of May 25. The Pride Loop is $119 CAD, while the Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop is priced at $59 CAD. The Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop is compatible with Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 4 or later, while the Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop is compatible with Apple Watch Series 3 or later. The 2021 Pride watch face is coming soon as part of a software update, and the App Clip codes require iOS 14.3 or later.

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