I sometimes get asked what Apple devices and collectibles I’m looking to acquire. It’s usually easier for me to answer whether or not I’m interested in a particular item than for me to attempt to list particular devices. However, this list represents some Apple devices that I would likely wish to obtain if one became readily available.
Apple Watch Edition (original, any version)iBook SE (Graphite, opaque version)iMac (Blue Dalmatian)iMac (Flower Power)iMac (lime)iMac (ruby)iMac (sage)iMac (tangerine)iPod shuffle (Generation 2, Avon edition)Macintosh PortablePowerBook 170 (JLPGA edition)PowerBook 100 (preferably with floppy drive)Duo Dock (any version)PowerBook Duo (any version)Xserve G5Xserve RAIDXservePippin (manufactured by Bandai)
The iPhone 17 Pro was introduced on September 9, 2025, during a pre-recorded Apple event titled “Awe Dropping” that featured an animated/interactive Apple logo on a black background. The Apple logo resembled a thermal image, perhaps hinting that one of the products introduced might feature a new type of cooling system. That idea became a reality with the iPhone 17 Pro’s new “vapor chamber that is laser-welded into a strong, light, and thermally conductive aluminum unibody” was introduced.
Other iPhone 17 Pro features highlighted in the press release included:
“Both models feature A19 Pro, the most powerful and efficient chip for iPhone yet, enabling the advanced camera systems, next-level mobile gaming, and Apple Intelligence.”
“Three 48MP Fusion cameras — Main, Ultra Wide, and an all-new Telephoto — offer the equivalent of eight lenses, including the longest optical-quality zoom ever on iPhone at 8x, and the innovative 18MP Center Stage front camera takes selfies to the next level.”
“Both models feature the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover with 3x better scratch resistance, and for the first time, Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone.”
The iPhone 17 Pro (and Pro Max) featured new colors including a silver that uses two “refined” tones with the camera body and ceramic shield, an “elegant” deep blue, and a “bold” cosmic orange.
I found the cosmic orange option difficult to resist because previous Pro-model iPhone devices have not been available in colors that were not dark, desaturated, or otherwise dull.
This event included Apple’s first mention of the “plateau” that houses the camera on the back of the phone—previously informally referred to as the “camera bump.” (The plateau was also mentioned in the introduction of the iPhone Air in this Apple event.) Apple explained the protruding feature on the iPhone 17 Pro: “On the back, the plateau creates additional space for internal components — making room for a larger battery.”
Apple further described the vapor chamber cooling system:
“Deionized water is sealed inside the vapor chamber, which is laser-welded into the aluminum chassis to move heat away from the powerful A19 Pro, allowing it to operate at even higher performance levels. The heat is carried into the forged aluminum unibody, where it is distributed evenly through the system, managing power and surface temperatures to deliver incredible performance while remaining comfortable to hold.”
The display of the iPhone 17 Pro is described as a Super Retina XDR display in 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch sizes. It includes a new protective layer called Ceramic Shield 2 that Apple describes as “tougher than any smartphone glass or glass-ceramic, with…3x better scratch resistance and improved anti-reflection to reduce glare.” The display is an Always-On ProMotion (up to 120Hz) delivering up to 3000 nits of brightness. The same Ceramic Shield technology on the display is also on the back of the device, delivering a stronger finish that allows better conductivity for the MagSafe connector.
In addition to the new A19 Pro chip that is up to 40% more powerful than the previous generation Pro chips, the device contains the N1, “a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.”
Like many previous iPhone releases, the camera system was touted significantly throughout the release. Apple noted that the iPhone 17 Pro delivers “eight pro lenses in a user’s pocket.”
Back cameras:
3 48MP Fusion cameras for sharper, more detailed images
1 48MP Telephoto camera with a sensor 56% percent larger than the previous generation for brighter/more detailed photos
1 4x 100mm optical zoom lens
1 8x 200mm optical zoom lens
Front camera: 1 Center Stage front camera with “the first square front camera sensor on iPhone, offering a wider field of view and higher resolution — up to 18MP for photos — to capture more detail.”
Apple’s product website for the iPhone 17 Pro featured an impressive set of photos illustrating the various native zoom levels and equating them with their “8 pro lenses” claim:
8x = 200mm
4x = 100mm
2x = 48mm
1.5x = 35mm
1.2x = 28mm
1x = 24mm
0.5x = 13mm
Macro
The iPhone 17 Pro video capabilities were also discussed with features such as Dolby Vision HDR, 4K 120 fps, ProRes, and support for ACES. In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro now adds ProRes RAW, Log 2, and genlock—a technique to precisely synchronize video across multiple cameras by industry leader Blackmagic.
The iPhone 17 Pro measures 5.91 x 2.83 inches, and is 0.34 inch thick. It weighs 7.27 ounces.
The verbosely named “iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case with MagSafe” is similar to previous Apple Clear Case designs except for the conspicuous bright white, rounded-rectangle that covers the ceramic shield on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro (the same design is used on the iPhone 17 Pro Max version). The white rectangle on the Clear Case includes a light gray Apple logo. Although the rounded-rectangle design feature is not mentioned in the description of the product (and is nearly impossible to notice on the all-white packaging), it is presumably present to hide the MagSafe magnets that were in the shape of the partial circle/bar outline pattern in previous Clear Case models with MagSafe.
Apple describes the iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case with MagSafe:
“Thin, light, and easy to grip — this Apple-designed case shows off the brilliant colored finish of iPhone 17 Pro while providing extra protection. Crafted with a blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible materials, the case fits right over the buttons for easy use.”
Like the previous Clear Case, this one includes a sapphire crystal Camera Control button that “communicates finger movements.” Also like the previous Clear Cases, it is made “with a blend of clear polycarbonate and flexible materials with scratch-resistant coating on the interior and exterior.”
As an Apple Clear Case owner since the iPhone 11, this one has the best button design feel among all previous models. For the first time, the buttons do not require additional force to press, and you can feel a pronounced click. Further, the case exterior has an overall “silkier” feel than the previous versions.
And one final note, I have paired this “Clear” case with a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro. Presumably, at least some buyers of the Cosmic Orange selected the color to enjoy looking at it. Purchasing a Clear Case, as opposed to a different color that would cover the orange, seems like an intentional choice to allow the Cosmic Orange to be seen. According to my calculations, the white rounded-rectangle covers just under 40% of the Cosmic Orange finish of the iPhone. This design seems somewhat counterproductive to the “Clear” concept.
The Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Silicone Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Made from liquid silicone rubber, the Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design with no clasps, buckles, or overlapping parts that’s ultracomfortable to wear and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Each band is specially treated with UV to give the band a silky, smooth finish. It’s also swim proof and sweat proof so it can go just about anywhere you want to wear it.”
The color of this band is Northern Lights, a shade of bright green (almost neon). The color was very close to the Sprout Green Solo Loop from Spring 2023, as pictured in the accompanying photos. It was available in 41 mm and 45 mm widths, and was sold in specific wrist sizes. The 41 mm Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45 mm Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 4–12.
According to Apple’s website, “This band comes in custom sizes because it’s designed for an ultracomfortable fit. An accurate measurement will help you get the size that’s right for you.” The website allowed buyers to download a PDF and cut out a “tool” that wrapped around the wrist to designate the band size needed.
This snug-fitting design allowed Apple Watch sensors to retain constant and consistent skin contact, allowing accurate blood oxygen and heart rate measurements to be maintained.
This Sport Loop is Apple’s fifth design in the Black Unity collection. With this watch band purchase, “Apple is supporting five global organizations that focus on elements of rhythm, creativity, and community through meaningful mentorship of underrepresented artists or musicians.” The five organizations include:
The National Museum of African American Music
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Music Forward Foundation
Battersea Arts Centre
Ellis Marsalis Center for Music
This was the first Apple Sport Loop to use a lenticular design. Apple described the effect: “Celebrating the unifying power of rhythm, this unique band is woven together to create a beautiful depth effect. In motion, Pan-African colors of red and green shift to reveal a hint of yellow — as if by magic.” In addition, “From the beat of a heart to the flow of creativity, rhythm is a universal element of the human experience.”
This band includes a matching watch face. Apple states, “The band is complemented by the Unity Rhythm watch face, which animates to tell the time when you raise your wrist. Distinctive rhythmic chimes mark every hour and half hour.”
Like all Sport Loop bands, Apple describes the style: “Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Sport Loop features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape.”
This One Size (Fits Most) band fits 145–220mm wrists.
The Nike Sport Loop band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 41 mm and 45 mm Apple Watch models, and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200 mm wrists and 145–220 mm wrists. The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes of 38 mm/42 mm and 40 mm/44 mm.
This Nike Sport Loop used a design that sets it apart from Apple Sport Loop bands. First, the thread pattern was created with several different colors to create a unique design with multiple colors in a randomized pattern. This design replaced the back closure plastic with a strip of embroidered thread in a single color that attached a nylon pull-tab with a Nike logo. A series of reinforced thread in a wave pattern was stitched below the pull-tab. Another thicker embroidered wave pattern was stitched across the top of the band that looped around a plastic connector.
This band used a variety of colors to achieve its unique “space-dye” pattern. It had a background and sides in starlight (light beige). A random pattern of threads was used across the face of the band in shades of yellow and dark pink. The wave patterns and closure threads were starlight (starlight and pink thread was used below the pull tab), and the pull tab was starlight with a coral pink Nike logo. The connector plastics were light pink.
Apple described the Nike Sport Loop band:
“The Nike Sport Loop has been designed to use excess yarn from previous seasons to create a soft, breathable, and lightweight band with a bold pattern. The hook-and-loop fastener and a woven pull tab featuring the Nike Swoosh makes it easy to adjust on the go. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. The Nike Sport Loop contains at least 68% excess yarn from previous seasons, saving over 3 tons of primary yarn.”
When Apple launched the Apple Watch Series 9, the company also discontinued their use of leather in all their products and introduced a new material they called FineWoven. In a press release, Apple announced:
“Apple is introducing FineWoven, a luxurious and durable microtwill made of 68 percent post-consumer recycled content that has significantly lower carbon emissions compared to leather. FineWoven has a suedelike feel, and is available with the Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle bands.”
The Magnetic Link design closely resembled the previous Leather Link design. Apple described the band:
“The Magnetic Link with FineWoven elegantly wraps around the wrist and magically attaches with molded magnets that gently flex to help maintain security and comfort throughout the day…”
The product specifications indicate that the Magnetic Link is made from “68% post-consumer recycled polyester” and “100% recycled rare earth elements in magnets.” The 41 mm Magnetic Link is offered in a S/M size (130–160 mm) and a M/L size (140–180 mm), while the 45 mm size is offered in S/M (140–180 mm) and M/L (165–205 mm) options.
This Magnetic Link is Black, and fits 45 mm Apple Watch devices.
Soon after Apple updated most of its hardware for use with Apple Intelligence, the Smart Folio for iPad mini was updated to Generation 7 with the A17 Pro chip—the bare minimum processor to allow Apple Intelligence features. At the time, Apple described Apple Intelligence as “the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy.”
This iPad mini had an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2266 x 1488 at 326 ppi, 500 nits brightness). Apple described the A17 Pro chip as offering “a huge performance boost for even the most demanding tasks, with a faster CPU and GPU, [and] a 2x faster Neural Engine than the previous-generation iPad mini.” This iPad mini also added support for the Apple Pencil Pro.
The iPad mini front camera was 12MP and included Center Stage: “as you move around, the camera automatically pans to keep you centered in the frame.” Apple described the back camera: “The 12MP wide back camera supports Smart HDR 4 for natural-looking photos with increased dynamic range, and uses machine learning to detect and scan documents right in the Camera app.” In addition, the back camera could record 4K video.
This iPad mini was available in three muted tones including Blue, Purple, and Starlight—and Space Gray. This example is Blue.
This iPad mini was 7.69 inches tall, 5.3 inches wide, and 0.25 inch thick. It weighed 0.65 pound. All buttons were along the top on the short side opposite the USB-C port, including the 2 volume buttons and the Top button with Touch ID. Each of the short sides also had speakers that allowed stereo sound output. Unlike other iPad models of the time, the front camera was placed on the short side.
Like other iPad Smart Folio designs, the Smart Folio for iPad mini Generation 7 offers front and back protection. It was released along with the iPad mini Generation 7 on October 15, 2024.
According to Apple, the Smart Folio for iPad mini (A17 Pro) “automatically wakes your iPad when opened and puts it to sleep when closed. The Smart Folio attaches magnetically, and you can easily fold it into different positions to create a stand for reading, viewing, typing, or making FaceTime calls.”
This Smart Folio was available in charcoal gray, light violet, denim, and sage. This example is charcoal gray.
On September 9, 2024, Apple announced they updated the Apple Watch Ultra 2 line by adding a black titanium version. At the same time, a new set of Titanium Milanese Loop bands were introduced. According to Apple’s press release:
“The new Titanium Milanese Loop is the first metal band for Apple Watch Ultra, inspired by mesh historically used by divers and stylish enough for any occasion. Woven from the same aerospace-grade titanium as the case, the band is lightweight and corrosion-resistant. A custom process of weaving, flattening, laser-welding, grinding, and finely polishing the titanium wire results in precise, interlinking lozenge shapes that provide a luxurious drape, complete with a dual-button, parachute-style buckle secure enough for all water sports. The Titanium Milanese Loop will be available in both natural and black titanium.”
The original Milanese Loop was described by Apple as “a flexible magnetic stainless steel mesh” and was introduced as one of the original Apple Watch band styles in 2018 when the original Apple Watch was unveiled. The original Milanese Loop, offered only in a (silver) stainless steel color, has a considerably finer mesh than this Titanium version. Further, the Titanium version costs US$199, while the original Milanese Loop is US$99.
The Titanium Milanese Loop is offered in three sizes: Small (130–160 mm), Medium (155–185 mm), and Large (180–210 mm); while the original Milanese Loop (46 mm) is available in just 2 sizes: S/M (130–180 mm) and M/L (150–200 mm).
This t-shirt is black and features the Apple Distinguished Educator logotype in the top-right front of the shirt. The words are printed in white in the San Francisco font, Apple’s official corporate font since 2017.
The shirt was made by BELLA+CANVAS, a “premium basics” apparel company based in Los Angeles.
Several Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) wore these shirts when presenting at the IDEAcon (Illinois Digital Educators Alliance) education conference in Schaumburg, IL, in February 2025. We presented several sessions regarding Apple’s many Accessibility features used in schools.
