Apple celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride with colorful Apple Watch, iPhone downloads

Update 5/23/23: The Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band is now available at the online Apple Store. It will be available in retail Apple Stores on Wednesday. (This article originally posted on 5/9/23).

Apple on Tuesday revealed the new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, designed to commemorate the equality movement for the LGBTQ+ community. Apple also released an Apple Watch face and iOS wallpaper that matches the band.

The watch face and wallpaper are available next week and require watchOS 9.5 and iOS 16.5 or later, both of which are still in beta. The watch face can be accessed through App Clips on the Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band packaging, in Apple Store locations, in the Apple Store app, or it can be downloaded from Apple’s website.

According to a press release, no two Pride Edition Sports Bands are alike due to the layout variations of the colored shapes that occur during the forming process. The shapes represent the pride flag rainbow colors, as well as black and brown to “symbolize Black and Latin communities, in addition to those who have passed away from or are living with HIV/AIDS.” The band also has light blue, pink, and white to represent transgender and nonbinary individuals.

Apple designed the matching watch face and wallpaper to “honor the combined strength and mutual support of the LGBTQ+ community.” The wallpaper’s shapes appear to flow into the watch face and react when you move your wrist or tap the watch. The wallpaper dynamically moves when unlocking the iPhone.

Apple’s release of the band is to organizations such as the Equality Federation Institute and GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network). Other organizations that Apple supports include Encircle, Equality North Carolina, Equality Texas, Gender Spectrum, Human Rights Campaign, ILGA World, the National Center for Transgender Equality, PFLAG, SMYAL, and The Trevor Project.

The Pride Edition Sports Band is $49 and will be available to order from Apple on May 23, with availability in the Apple Store on May 24. The band works with both 41mm and 45mm watches and is compatible with the Series 3 and later.