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 Marigold, a shade of bright yellow/orange. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths, and was sold in specific wrist sizes. The 41mm Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm 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.
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 Dark Cherry, a shade of dark red. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths, and was sold in specific wrist sizes. The 41mm Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm 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.
The Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Textile Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Each Braided Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design that’s ultracomfortable and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments in each band are interwoven with thin silicone threads using advanced braiding machinery then laser cut to an exact length. The 300D construction offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat-resistant and water-resistant.”
The color of this band is Pistachio, a shade of light green. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths. The 41mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm Braided 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.
The Nike Sport Loop Apple Watch band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 41mm and 45mm Apple Watch models, and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200mm wrists and 145–220mm wrists. The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes of 38mm/42mm and 40mm/44mm.
This Pride design was primarily black and included the colors of the LGBTQ flag. This Nike Sport Loop Pride Edition (2022) is paired here with an Apple Watch Series 3 in white ceramic.
According to Apple’s website:
“Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop features a nylon weave inspired by Nike’s Be True collection, an initiative to promote equality in sport. A hook-and-loop fastener makes for quick and easy adjustment, and dense loops on the skin side provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”
Apple and Nike include the statement, “Apple is proud to financially support LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations working to bring about positive change.” A list of organizations is included: Encircle, Equality Federation Institute, Equality North Carolina, Equality Texas, Gender Spectrum, GLSEN, Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, The National Center for Transgender Equality, SMYAL, The Trevor Project, and ILGA World.
The Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch band was released in 2020 along with the Apple Watch Series 6. The packaging describes this product as a “Textile Fitted Band.” According to Apple’s website:
“Each Braided Solo Loop features a unique, stretchable design that’s ultracomfortable and easy to slip on and off your wrist. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the 16,000 polyester yarn filaments in each band are interwoven with thin silicone threads using advanced braiding machinery then laser cut to an exact length. The 300D construction offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat-resistant and water-resistant.”
The color of this band is Maize. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths. The 41mm Braided Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm Braided 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.
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 Lemon Zest, a shade of pale yellow. It was available in 41mm and 45mm widths, and was sold in specific wrist sizes. The 41mm Solo Loop was sold in wrist sizes 1–9, and the 45mm 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.
The iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe was designed for the iPhone 12 line and used Apple’s MagSafe connector to attach to the back of iPhone model after the iPhone 12.
This iPhone Leather Wallet was updated from the original design and now includes Find My support. However, the Find My support is limited, compared to other devices that use the technology. An AppleInsider review noted, “You can’t track your wallet, you can’t use the U1 chip to track where it was left, and you can’t make it emit a noise. You can merely get a pin of its last connected location.”
Apple described the Leather Wallet:
“Designed with both style and function in mind, the new iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe is the perfect way to keep your ID and credit cards close at hand. It now supports Find My, so you can be notified of your wallet’s last known location if it gets separated from your phone. Crafted from specially tanned and finished European leather, the wallet features strong built-in magnets that allow it to effortlessly snap into place on the back of your iPhone. You can even stack it on top of a case with MagSafe to create a look that’s unique to you. The leather wallet supports up to three cards and is shielded so it’s safe for credit cards.”
The iPhone 14 Pro was announced on September 7, 2022; began pre-orders on Friday, September 9, 2022; and was available beginning Friday, September 16, 2022. Apple’s website led with the following description of the iPhone 14 Pro:
“A magical new way to interact with iPhone. Groundbreaking safety features designed to save lives. An innovative 48MP camera for mind-blowing detail. All powered by the ultimate smartphone chip.”
The primary new technologies used in the iPhone 14 Pro included: “Always-On display, the first-ever 48MP camera on iPhone, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and an innovative new way to receive notifications and activities with the Dynamic Island.”
The four colors available at release were deep purple, silver, gold, and space black. The iPhone 14 Pro had a 6.1-inch “Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion” with an Always-On display (for the first time on an iPhone) that used a 1Hz refresh rate with power-efficient technologies. In practice, the Always-On display faded to a dim/dark version of the Wallpaper and allowed the time and up to four widgets to show (a widget above the time and up to 3 below the time). Other “Live Activities” showed in the bottom two-thirds of the Lock screen, including alerts and play/pause options for media.
The iPhone 14 Pro also delivered “the highest outdoor peak brightness in a smartphone: up to 2000 nits, which is twice as bright as iPhone 13 Pro.”
The Dynamic Island was also introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro. The design of this iPhone removed the “notch” that had been used since the iPhone X and moved the functions slightly lower into a pill shape. Apple described the Dynamic Island system as one “that blends the line between hardware and software, adapting in real time to show important alerts, notifications, and activities. With the introduction of the Dynamic Island, the TrueDepth camera has been redesigned to take up less of the display area.”
Apple continued, “Without impeding content on the screen, the Dynamic Island maintains an active state to allow users easier access to controls with a simple tap-and-hold. Ongoing background activities like Maps, Music, or a timer remain visible and interactive, and third-party apps in iOS 16 that provide information like sports scores and ride-sharing with Live Activities can take advantage of the Dynamic Island.”
The iPhone 14 Pro camera system added a 2x camera (in addition to the 0.5x, 1x, and 3x options on the iPhone 13 Pro). The iPhone 14 Pro also offered a new “48MP Main camera with a quad-pixel sensor that adapts to the photo being captured, and features second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization.”
Other new camera features included a front TrueDepth camera with an ƒ/1.9 aperture for better low-light photos and video, adaptive True Tone flash with an array of nine LEDs, and Action mode for “incredibly smooth-looking video that adjusts to significant shakes, motion, and vibrations, even when video is being captured.”
All iPhone 14 models added Crash Detection that used a variety of built-in sensors (dual-core accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, GPS, and microphone) to “detect a severe car crash and automatically dial emergency services when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone.” Additionally, Emergency SOS via satellite was added, “which combines custom components…to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.”
The iPhone 14 Pro models are powered by the A16 Bionic chip that includes two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, an accelerated 5-core GPU with 50% more memory bandwidth, and a new 16-core Neural Engine capable of nearly 17 trillion operations per second.
Many of the new features of the iPhone 14 Pro were enabled by iOS 16, released along with the entire iPhone 14 line.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max Clear Case with MagSafe is “Crafted with a blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible materials, the case fits right over the buttons for easy use. On the surface, a scratch-resistant coating has been applied to both the interior and exterior. And all materials and coatings are optimized to prevent yellowing over time.”
The sides of the case use a more flexible, rubber-like material to allow for a better grip, while the back of the case is more rigid.
The case also includes MagSafe magnets that extend the functionality of MagSafe built into the iPhone through the case. Apple described the functionality: “With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 14 Pro Max, this case offers a magical attach experience and faster wireless charging, every time. When it’s time to charge, just leave the case on your iPhone and snap on your MagSafe charger, or set it on your Qi-certified charger.”
I have used Apple’s clear cases since the iPhone X. As Apple indicates, the cases have not yellowed significantly over time.
The iPhone 13 Pro Silicone Case was “Designed by Apple to complement iPhone 13 Pro, the Silicone Case with MagSafe is a delightful way to protect your iPhone. The silky, soft-touch finish of the silicone exterior feels great in your hand. And on the inside, there’s a soft microfiber lining for even more protection.”
The case also included MagSafe magnets that extended the functionality of MagSafe built into the iPhone through the case. Apple described the functionality:
“With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 13 Pro, this case offers a magical attach experience and faster wireless charging, every time. When it’s time to charge, just leave the case on your iPhone and snap on your MagSafe charger, or set it on your Qi-certified charger.”
This iPhone 13 Pro Silicone Case is red and part of Apple’s (PRODUCT)RED line of products. In 2021–2022, Apple changed the (PRODUCT)RED statement to include the support of COVID-19: “Every (PRODUCT)RED purchase contributes equally to the fight to end AIDS and its impact from COVID-19.” Additional information specified that “A portion of the proceeds from every (PRODUCT)RED purchase goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS with (RED). From now until December 31, 2022, half of those proceeds will go to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the fight to end AIDS.”
