Apple announces two new Apple Watch Pride Edition bands

The Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop and Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop launch on May 25 with new watch faces.

Apple has released Pride Edition watch bands since 2016, and the 2021 model uses Apple's new Braided Solo Loop design. The new band incorporates more colors to represent additional Pride flags from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Black and brown symbolize Black and Latinx 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.

Along with the new Braided Solo Loop, Apple is introducing a Nike Sport Loop band with the traditional Pride rainbow colors. The new watch bands each have a corresponding Pride watch face to go with them.

Apple will also include an App Clip in the watchband packaging to enable users to have quick access to the new Apple Watch faces. The new Pride watch face shows all of the new colors included in the Pride Edition Solo Loop and animates upon wrist raise. The new Pride Edition Nike watch face shows the rainbow-colored dots around a simple face.

"Even before the events at the Stonewall Inn brought the LGBTQ+ movement to new prominence, Black, Brown, and transgender activists were key leaders in the march toward equality," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "On many fronts, Apple supports the ongoing and unfinished work of equality for diverse and intersectional communities, and we want to provide every opportunity to celebrate and honor this history during Pride season."

Apple donates to several funds that support the LGBTQ+ movement, including Encircle, Equality North Carolina, Equality Texas, Gender Spectrum, GLSEN, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Transgender Equality, PFLAG National, SMYAL, and The Trevor Project in the US, as well as ILGA World internationally.

Customers can pre-order the new Pride Edition bands on the Apple Store website starting on Monday. Both bands will be available starting May 25, and the watch faces will release in a software update listed as "coming soon."

The Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop is $99 and must be sized at purchase. The Pride Edition Nike Sport Loop is $49 and is an adjustable strap.

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