Sport Band, Pride Edition (M/L, 2022)

On May 9, 2023, Apple introduced this new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band. This Sport Band was introduced along with a matching watch face and iOS wallpaper. The design is a first for Apple and includes the most colors ever incorporated into a Sport Band. Apple described the Sport Band:

“…the new Sport Band design showcases the original pride flag rainbow colors and five others — black and brown symbolize Black and Latin communities, in addition to those who have passed away from or are living with HIV/AIDS, while light blue, pink, and white represent transgender and nonbinary individuals.”

Even the band’s manufacturing process is unique to this design:

“This year’s design integrates a joyful rainbow of geometric shapes on a white base, which are compression-molded into the final band. In the forming process, the base material flows around each individual shape, creating small variations in their layout. No two bands are exactly alike, reflecting the individuality of all members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

The following organizations are supported by Apple’s sales of this Sport Band:

  • Equality Federation Institute
  • Encircle
  • Equality North Carolina
  • Equality Texas
  • Gender Spectrum
  • GLSEN
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • PFLAG
  • The National Center for Transgender Equality
  • SMYAL
  • The Trevor Project
  • ILGA World

Source: Apple (Product, Newsroom)

Apple Watch Sport Band (45mm, Stainless Steel Pin, (PRODUCT)RED, 2020)

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 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 October 2022, 117 Apple Sport Band colors were available with an additional 41 Nike Sport Band colors (according to the Bandbreite app).

This example is Red with a stainless steel pin and is part of Apple’s (PRODUCT)RED line. The box states, “Apple is proud to join (RED) in funding programs to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS.”

Source: Apple, Bandbreite app

Apple Watch Sport Band (45mm, Graphite Stainless Steel Pin, Midnight, 2021)

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. This example is the less common L/XL size.

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 July 2022, 113 Apple Sport Band colors were available with an additional 37 Nike Sport Band colors (according to the Bandbreite app).

This example is Midnight, Apple’s current name for “black.” It includes L/XL size bands for the 45mm Apple Watch, and is also compatible with earlier larger-sized Apple Watch models.

Source: Apple, Bandbreite app

Apple Watch Sport Band (44 mm, Black Unity, Spring 2021)

The Black Unity Apple Watch Sport Band was part of an effort during the first time Apple referred to a product as part of a “collection”—in this case, to celebrate Black History Month in 2021. According to a press release:

“To celebrate Black History Month, Apple is bringing customers a variety of new and updated collections and exclusive content that highlight and amplify Black creators, artists, developers, and businesses. From curated features across the App Store, Apple Music, the Apple TV app, Apple Books, and Apple Podcasts, to new Apple Maps Guides, the Apple Watch Black Unity Collection, Today at Apple sessions, and more, here is a look at what is in store across Apple’s products and services this February.”

The Apple Watch Black Unity Collection included three elements: “a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, the Black Unity Sport Band, and a Unity watch face.” In this example, the Black Unity Apple Watch Sport Band is paired with an Apple Watch Series 7 in silver stainless steel.

Apple described the Black Unity Sport Band:

“Designed by Black creatives and allies throughout Apple to celebrate and acknowledge Black history and culture, the Black Unity Sport Band is inspired by the colors of the Pan-African flag and pays homage to the rich tradition and craft of quilt-making. Three individual pieces of colored fluoroelastomer are assembled by hand and compression-molded as one. Complemented by the dynamic Unity watch face, which displays an ever-changing pattern of irregular shapes as Apple Watch moves, these colors are brought together in a unique tapestry. The innovative pin-and-tuck closure is laser-etched with ‘Truth. Power. Solidarity.'”

During this effort, Apple reported that they would support six global organizations to “help advance their missions in promoting and achieving equality and civil rights in the US and around the world: Black Lives Matter Support Fund via the Tides Foundation; European Network Against Racism; International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights; Leadership Conference Education Fund; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; and Souls Grown Deep.”

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Product)

Nike Sport Band (44mm, Stainless Steel Pin, Pride, 2020)

The Apple Watch Sport Band is made from a flexible rubber material called fluoroelastomer with a metal pin closure. 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 Nike Sport Band differs from the Apple Sport Band in that the Nike version uses a perforated design to make it slightly lighter and more ventilated. This Pride Edition design is primarily white, and each perforation uses colors from the LGBTQ flag. The Pride version package states that “Apple and Nike are proud to financially support LGBTQ advocacy organizations working to bring about positive change.”

The Apple Watch Sport band has been available in the most colors so far. As of December 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 44 mm Apple Watch that is also compatible with 42 mm and 45 mm sizes.

Sources: Apple, Bandbreite app

Apple Watch Series 1 (38 mm, silver aluminum case, white Sport Band, 2016)

The Apple Watch Series 1 models were similar to the original Apple Watch (also known as “Series 0”), but used a more powerful dual core processor. Like its predecessor, this Apple Watch was controlled with a Digital Crown and a Force Touch display, and it needed to be paired with iPhone 5 (or newer).

This Apple Watch Series 1 model is a 38mm version (a 42mm version was also available) and used a 272 × 340 display.

The Apple Watch Series 1 was originally sold in four standard configurations:
silver aluminum case with white Sport Band
gold aluminum case with cocoa (dark brown) Sport Band
rose gold aluminum case with midnight blue Sport Band
space gray aluminum case with black Sport Band

The Sport Bands were made of fluoroelastomer rubber. This Apple Watch Series 1 version has a silver aluminum case with white Sport Band.

Source: EveryMac.com

Apple Watch Sport Band (42 mm, Midnight Blue, gold pin, OEM packaging, Fall 2015)

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.

Source: Apple

Apple Watch Sport Band (42 mm, Cocoa, gold pin, OEM packaging, Fall 2016)

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 Cocoa Apple Watch Sport Band includes a gold pin to match the gold Apple Watch models of the time. An alternate version of the band shipped with a silver 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.

Source: Apple

Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band (44mm, rainbow, 2020)

Although Apple has released several Pride Edition bands, this design is the first multicolor fluoroelastomer band. According to Apple’s website:

“The Pride Edition Sport Band is assembled by hand from individual strips of colored fluoroelastomer. The strips are then machine die-cut and compression molded together. This process results in subtle variations in the wavy rainbow design, making each band artfully unique. Durable and strong, yet surprisingly soft, the band drapes elegantly across your wrist and feels comfortable next to your skin. An innovative pin-and-tuck closure ensures a clean fit.”

The packaging states: “Apple is proud to support LGBTQ advocacy organizations working to bring about positive change.” Apple’s website goes on to specify the LGBTQ organizations they support through the sale of this band: Encircle, Gender Spectrum, GLSEN, PFLAG, SMYAL, The National Center for Transgender Equality, The Trevor Project in the U.S., and ILGA World internationally.

Source: Apple

Apple Watch Sport Band (42 mm, XL, White, Spring 2015)

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. The XL size fits wrists 160–245 mm and so far the L/XL bands have only been available in black and white.

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, including, Rose Red, Orange, Spicy Orange, Nectarine, Apricot, Hermès Orange, Yellow, Pollen, Mellow Yellow, Lemonade, Flash, Green, Mint, Dark Teal, Pacific Green, Marine Green, Turquoise, Mist Blue, Sky Blue, Blue, Royal Blue, Lilac, Azure, Denim Blue, Blue Horizon, Ocean Blue, Blue Cobalt, Midnight Blue, Ultra Violet, Lavender Gray, Lavender, Vintage Rose, Light Pink, Pink, Red Raspberry, Hibiscus, Camellia, Peach, Flamingo, Walnut, Pebble, Antique White, Soft White/Pebble (White Ceramic Pin), Soft White, Cloud (White Ceramic Pin), Concrete, Dark Olive, Cocoa, Black (Stainless Steel Pin), Black (Black Pin), Gray/Black (Gray Ceramic Pin), Gray (Black Pin), Fog, White, Pomegranate, Beryl, Khaki, Lemon Cream, Clementine, Pine Green, Alaskan Blue, Stone, Pink Sand, Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED Generation 1, and (PRODUCT)RED Generation 2.

This example is an XL size, White Sport band for the 42/44 mm Apple Watch. Although I find these bands very comfortable to wear, the metal pin is positioned at the base of the wrist and tends to make contact with the laptop surface as you type.

Source: Apple