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,” 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.”
When released, the Leather Link was available in Baltic Blue, California Poppy, Saddle Brown, and Black. It came in sizes including 40mm in S/M (130–160mm wrists) and M/L (140–180mm wrists), and 44mm in S/M (140–180mm wrists) and M/L (165–205mm wrists).
This example is California Poppy (yellow-orange) in size 44mm, M/L.
Apple announced their AirPods Max over-ear headphones on December 8, 2020, and they shipped one week later on December 15. The original press release touted:
“AirPods Max feature incredible high-fidelity audio, Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, and spatial audio”
The headphones featured a brand new design and included the Digital Crown from the Apple Watch as the primary control interface. Materials included a “breathable knit mesh canopy” that spanned the entire headband that was meant to reduce pressure on the head while wearing the headphones for extended periods. The headband frame was made from stainless steel and telescoped to allow a custom fit. The ear cushions were made from a “custom-designed mesh textile [that] wraps the ear cushions to provide pillow-like softness while listening.” The outer ear cup was aluminum in a rectangular shape with steeply rounded corners (as opposed to a round or oval design seen on other over-the-ear headphone designs).
The audio technology included “H1 chips, and advanced software to power computational audio for a breakthrough listening experience with Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and spatial audio.” The battery on AirPods Max was advertised at 20 hours.
AirPods Max headphones were available in five colors: space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink. The colors consistently referred to the color of the outer ear cup of the AirPods Max, since each color option used a different combination of accent colors. Space gray used space gray outer ear cups with black ear cushions and headband. Silver used silver outer ear cups with white ear cushions and headband. Sky blue used light blue outer ear cups with light blue ear cushions and a dark blue headband. Green used light green outer ear cups with light green ear cushions and a pale green (white tinted with green) headband. Pink used pale pink (similar to Apple’s Rose Gold) outer ear cups with dark pink ear cushions and a red headband.
AirPods Max Ear Cushions were also sold separately by Apple as replacements or to allow users to customize their headphone style. By mixing and matching the Ear Cushions, 25 color combinations were possible—or 125 combinations if two different ear cushion colors were used.
The AirPods Max shipped with an arguably unusual case design that provided little protection, but allowed the headphones to go into “an ultralow power state that helps to preserve battery charge when not in use.”
When AirPods Max were released, they were almost universally praised for their superior sound quality and noise-cancelling features, but panned for their high price of $549. The primary technical issue shared by some reviewers was the tendency for AirPods Max to “form condensation under the earcups and the water that is formed gets inside the drivers causing ear detection problems.”
The Apple Watch Sport Band is made from a flexible rubber material called fluoroelastomer with a metal pin closure. Sizes range from S/M, M/L, or L/XL. When purchasing an Apple Watch Sport Band, the S/M and M/L sizes are included in the box, allowing the band to fit wrists 140–210 mm.
Apple describes the Apple Watch Sport band:
“Made from a custom high-performance fluoroelastomer, the Sport Band is durable and strong, yet surprisingly soft. The smooth, dense material drapes elegantly across your wrist and feels comfortable next to your skin. An innovative pin-and-tuck closure ensures a clean fit.”
The Apple Watch Sport band has been available in the most colors so far. As of November 2021, 110 Apple Sport Band colors were available with an additional 36 Nike Sport Band colors (according to the Bandbreite app).
This example comes with S/M and M/L sizes for the 38 mm Apple Watch that is also compatible with 40mm and 41mm sizes.
On October 18, 2021, Apple introduced HomePod mini in three new colors: yellow, orange, and blue. The three new colors joined the two original colors of white and space gray. Apple describes the HomePod mini as:
“Jam-packed with innovation, HomePod mini delivers unexpectedly big sound for a speaker of its size. At just 3.3 inches tall, it takes up almost no space but fills the entire room with rich 360-degree audio that sounds amazing from every angle. Add more than one HomePod mini for truly expansive sound.”
In addition to adding bold color to the exterior mesh fabric, Apple also color-matched the touch surface, volume icons, and woven power cable.
The technology built in to the HomePod mini is described by Apple:
“HomePod mini uses computational audio to provide a rich and detailed acoustic experience and deliver peak performance. To achieve big sound out of such a compact design, the Apple S5 chip runs advanced software to analyze the unique characteristics of the music. It also applies complex tuning models to optimize loudness, adjust the dynamic range, and control the movement of the driver and passive radiators, all in real time. HomePod mini’s full-range driver, premium neodymium magnet, and pair of force-cancelling passive radiators enable it to produce deep bass and crisp high frequencies.”
On October 18, 2021, Apple held an online “Unleashed” event where they introduced a “new MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, all-new AirPods, and HomePod mini in five bold colors.” On the same day, Apple quietly released an “official” Polishing Cloth as an accessory that was available on the website for $19.
Apple describes the product:
“Made with soft, nonabrasive material, the Polishing Cloth cleans any Apple display, including nano-texture glass, safely and effectively.”
In addition to the product description, Apple provided a long list of models under the Compatibility header including iPhone models back to the iPhone SE (1st generation), iPad models back to the iPad mini (1st generation), Mac models back to iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014 – 2015), all Apple Watch models back Apple Watch 1st generation, iPod models back to iPod shuffle (4th generation), and the Display model Pro Display XDR.
Originally, this Polishing Cloth was included only with the Pro Display XDR that was sold with Standard glass for $4,999 or Nano-texture glass for $5,999.
Apple specified on its support website, “If your Apple Pro Display XDR has nano-texture glass, clean it using only the included polishing cloth.” On the interior of the package, an included cardboard insert explains that the cloth is “Safe for use on all Apple displays and surfaces. For infrequent cleaning of hard-to-remove smudges on nano-texture glass, a 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution may be used.”
Soon after the Polishing Cloth was posted on Apple’s site, various tech bloggers began writing tongue-in-cheek articles about the $19 cloth. The articles included reviews, announcements, and even a “tear-down” from the website iFixIt. Some example articles included:
The original blogger who “broke” the story on October 19, 2021, (at 9:55AM) was Victoria Song on Engadget: Apple Wants You to Pay How Much for a Polishing Cloth?! Two weeks later, she proclaimed in a follow-up article, “The Apple Polishing Cloth Is Everything Wrong With Society” where she acknowledged “It was a fun bit, but like many things, it spiraled out of control.”
My testing reveals that this Polishing Cloth functions as described.
This iPad Smart Folio was released in Electric Orange along with the Generation 3, 11-inch iPad Pro. This folio was also compatible with the Generation 1 and 2 11-inch iPad Pro models. Apple describes the Smart Folio for iPad Pro:
“The Smart Folio for iPad Pro is thin and light and offers front and back protection for your device. It 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.”
In addition to black and white, this version of the Smart Folio for iPad Pro was also available in English Lavender, Dark Navy, Mallard Green, and this color called Electric Orange.
Unlike previous Smart Cover models for iPad, this Smart Folio offers front and back protection using the iPad Pro internal magnets. The front cover folds to allow two different angles, and also folds with the magnets to allow a completely flat position.
Finally, since this iPad is compatible with the Apple Pencil Generation 2, the Smart Folio allows the Apple Pencil to magnetically attach to the side of the iPad for storage and charging.
The iPhone 13 Pro Clear Case with MagSafe was designed for the iPhone 13 Pro to provide a case that was “Thin, light, and easy to grip…” and to highlight the “brilliant colored finish of iPhone 13 Pro while providing extra protection.” Although the case had no seams, it used a “combination of materials including optically clear polycarbonate and flexible materials.”
The built-in MagSafe allowed the iPhone’s MagSafe capabilities to extend through the case and function optimally with charging and accessories. Apple described the experience as:
“…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 example here is shown along with the iPhone 13 Pro in Sierra Blue.
These wireless headphones are branded as Beats. The company Beats by Dr. Dre (Beats) describes itself as a “leading audio brand founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine…Beats was acquired by Apple Inc. in July 2014.”
The headphones offer up to 12 hours of playback and the magnet is designed to keep “Beats Flex tangle-free as they easily coil up into your pocket or purse.” The audio technology is described on the Apple website:
“Beats Flex employs a dual-chamber acoustic design and a proprietary layered driver to achieve outstanding stereo separation with rich and precise bass response. Laser cut micro-venting provides ear pressure relief, and the optimized driver angle ensures clear, crisp sound. An advanced digital processor fine-tunes your audio for an accurate and emotive listening experience.”
The headphones use a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, and include eartips with four size options. They were available in Flame Blue, Beat Black, Smoke Gray, and the Yuzu Yellow color of this set.
The Nike 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 and 145–220mm wrists . The bands also fit older Apple Watch sizes of 38mm/42mm and 40mm/44mm.
This Black band used a base color of black (it could also be called dark gray) and had the word NIKE woven into the design around the outer band and the NIKE “swoosh” on the part of the band with the hook-and-loop closure on the back. The connector plastics were black to match the base color of the band.
Apple described the Nike Sport Loop band:
“Breathable and lightweight, the Nike Sport Loop is designed for fitness. It’s made from a soft nylon weave featuring the iconic Nike swoosh. 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.”
The Apple Watch Sport Band was made from a flexible rubber material called fluoroelastomer with a metal pin closure. Sizes ranged from S/M, M/L, or L/XL. When purchasing an Apple Watch Sport Band, the S/M and M/L sizes are included in the box, allowing the band to fit wrists 140–210 mm.
Apple described the Apple Watch Sport band:
“Made from a custom high-performance fluoroelastomer, the Sport Band is durable and strong, yet surprisingly soft. The smooth, dense material drapes elegantly across your wrist and feels comfortable next to your skin. An innovative pin-and-tuck closure ensures a clean fit.”
This version of the Midnight Blue (Generation 1) Apple Watch Sport Band includes a gold pin to match the gold Apple Watch models of the time. Alternate versions of the band had a silver and a rose gold pin.
This band did not come in Apple’s retail packaging. It was purchased from a website that sold Apple replacement parts and used Apple’s OEM packaging.
