Category: Accessory

Posted on

Milanese Loop (Silver Stainless Steel, 2019)

The Milanese Loop was among Apple’s original Apple Watch band designs. In the press release in September 2014 announcing the original Apple Watch, Apple wrote: “Apple also created an entire range of watch straps [including] the Milanese Loop in a flexible magnetic stainless steel mesh.” The original Milanese Loop was available only in silver, but has been offered in a total of five colors: Silver (Spring 2015), Space Black (Spring 2016), Graphite (Fall 2020), and two shades of Gold (Fall 2018, Fall 2020).

Apple describes the Milanese Loop:

“A modern interpretation of a design developed in Milan at the end of the 19th century. Woven on specialized Italian machines, the smooth stainless steel mesh wraps fluidly around your wrist. And because it’s fully magnetic, the Milanese Loop is infinitely adjustable, ensuring a perfect fit.”

Apple specifies that the Milanese Loop is not water resistant and cautions that the band contains magnets that may cause interference with the Compass on the watch.

The 38/40/41mm version of the band band fit 130–180mm wrists, while the 42/44/45/49mm version fit 150–200mm wrists. Although this design and color was released in 2015, this Milanese Loop is dated 2019 on the packaging, and the product was still available on the Apple website as of March 2023 (for $99).

Source: Apple (Newsroom, product)

Posted on

Apple Watch Leather Link (44mm, M/L, Baltic Blue, Fall 2020)

The Apple Watch Leather Link was an Apple Watch band released in 2020. The design is similar to the previous Leather Loop design, but while the Leather Loop included a metal “eye” that looped back on itself, the Leather Link is secured solely by magnets.

Apple describes the Leather Link:

“The Leather Link features handcrafted Roux Granada leather made in France. The strap elegantly wraps around the wrist and magically attaches with flexible moulded magnets that gently flex to help maintain a secure, comfortable fit throughout the day.”

The Leather Link came in sizes including 41mm in S/M (130–160mm wrists) and M/L (140–180mm wrists), and 45mm in S/M (140–180mm wrists) and M/L (165–205mm wrists).

This example is Baltic Blue, a shade of dark blue with a hint of green, for the 44mm Apple Watch, and fit wrists in the M/L size range.

Presumably, this color is named for the color of the Baltic Sea, an part of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and North and Central Europe.

Source: Apple, Wikipedia

Posted on

Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop (45mm, Size 12, Starlight, Spring 2022)

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 Starlight, a shade of off-white/light tan. 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.

Source: Apple, Bandbreit app

Posted on

Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop (45mm, Size 12, Inverness Green, Fall 2020)

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 Inverness Green, a shade of olive 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.

Source: Apple, Bandbreit app

Posted on

Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop (45mm, Size 12, Flamingo, Spring 2022)

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 Flamingo, a shade of bright pink. 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.

Source: Apple, Bandbreit app

Posted on

Apple Gift Cards (2022)

This set of Apple Gift Cards each features a different design. According to Apple, gift cards can be used for:

“Products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more. This gift card does it all. And then some.”

Beginning in 2021, this style of Apple Gift Card was sold with an included “collectible sticker.” According to an Apple Support article:

“The front of your Apple Gift Card shows a colorful Apple logo on a white background. The gift card is inside a sleeve, and the Apple logo is a collectible sticker. The pattern might look different from the image that you see here, because Apple Gift Cards are available with a range of designs. Use your Apple Gift Card at an Apple Store to buy products and accessories. Or redeem it in the App Store and use it for apps, subscriptions like Apple Music or iCloud+, purchases from apple.com, and more.”

In the early 2020s, Apple Gift Card scams were somewhat common. In 2022, 9to5Mac described a common pattern for such a scam:

“A victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to work for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They are told that there is a problem with their tax filing, and that unless the matter is resolved immediately, they face arrest. When asked how to arrange payment, victims are asked to buy Apple gift cards…and then pass the details to the caller.”

As of March 2023, Apple’s Gift Card website includes multiple references to potential scams. Apple also had a page describing gift card scams: “Be aware of scams involving Apple Gift Cards, App Store & iTunes Gift Cards, and Apple Store Gift Cards.” Further, each printed gift card includes the warning: “Beware of gift card scams. Do not share your code.”

Source: Apple (gift cards, support, scams), 9to5Mac

Posted on

iPhone 4 Dock (2010)

The iPhone 4 Dock was a charging dock with audio-out capabilities for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. It was made of white plastic, measured 2.38 x 1.68 inches, and allowed the iPhone 4 to sit upright while charging while allowing a simultaneous connection to a stereo to play music via a 3.5mm plug.

The Dock used Apple’s 30-pin connector. However, it did not ship with a cable or power adapter.

iLounge pointed out that the iPhone 4’s “need for a case—unfortunately reduces the Dock’s appeal.” They go on to say that “due to the iPhone 4’s new shatter-prone glass body and antenna attenuation issues, many users now feel that cases are necessary to keep the new device working right and feeling safe, and even Apple CEO Steve Jobs has suggested as much in recent communications to end users.”

Sources: 9to5Mac, iLounge

Posted on

Apple Watch Sport Loop (45mm, Oat Milk/Lemon Zest, Spring 2022)

The Apple Watch Sport Loop 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 (41mm) and 145–220mm wrists (45mm). The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes.

This Oat Milk/Lemon Zest band used a two-stripe design first introduced in Fall 2021. One stripe was “Oat Milk,” a shade of off-white, and the other was “Lemon Zest,” a shade of bright yellow. The edges were black and provided a striking contrast to the lighter stripes. The connector plastics were off-white—a similar shade to the “Oat Milk” color—and the closure plastic was black.

Apple described the Apple Watch Sport Loop band:

“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. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”

Source: Apple, Bandbreite

Posted on

Apple Watch Sport Loop (45mm, Nectarine/Peony, Spring 2022)

The Apple Watch Sport Loop 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 (41mm) and 145–220mm wrists (45mm). The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes.

This Nectarine/Peony band used a two-stripe design first introduced in Fall 2021. One stripe was “Nectarine,” a shade of shade of bright orange, and the other was “Peony,” a bright red/pink. The edges and connector plastics were off-white, and the closure plastics matched the Peony stripe.

Apple described the Apple Watch Sport Loop band:

“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. On the reverse side, the attachment loops are securely anchored for superior durability.”

In my opinion, the shade of Nectarine does, indeed, match the orange gradient that can be found on an actual nectarine. However, as an Indiana native where the peony is the state flower, this shade of “Peony” is not representative of the actual plant’s flower.

Source: Apple, Bandbreite