Apple pays tribute to Black History Month, and the richness of Black culture and community by unveiling its new Black Unity Collection. This collection, inspired by the rhythm of humanity, includes a special-edition Apple Watch Black Unity Sport Loop, a matching watch face, and iPhone and iPad wallpapers.
The collection design was a collaborative effort involving Black creatives and allies at Apple. The collection, Unity Rhythm, incorporates the colours of the Pan-African flag: black, green, and red. The Black Unity Sport Loop is woven in a custom pattern of raised and recessed loops. This unique design creates a lenticular effect, revealing green on one side of each loop, and red on the other.
When worn, the band's colours appear dynamic, shifting from green to red as the wearer moves the wrist. In the transition, the colour yellow appears. Pretty cool, right?
A new watch face unveiled
Complementing the Black Unity Sport Loop is the Unity Rhythm watch face. This watch face features custom numerals formed by intertwined threads of red, green, and yellow. The watch face is designed to react to the gyroscope, so when a user raises their wrist to check the time, the strands coalesce from a series of abstract brush strokes into digits. The Unity Rhythm watch face also features distinctive, rhythmic chimes that mark every hour and a half, adding to the overall user experience.
The Unity Rhythm theme extends to iPhone and iPad wallpapers as well. These wallpapers feature the word "Unity" in custom lettering, which changes orientation when the device is unlocked and locked. The Black Unity Sport Loop is available for order on the Apple Store online and will be available in Apple Store locations beginning this week. The Unity Rhythm watch face and the Unity Rhythm iPhone and iPad wallpapers will be available in an upcoming software update.
Apple's commitment to celebrating Black culture and community
In addition to the launch of the Black Unity Collection, Apple is supporting several global organisations whose work focuses on elements of rhythm, creativity, and community. This includes grants to the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans; Battersea Arts Centre in London; Music Forward Foundation in Los Angeles; Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney; and The National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tennessee. This support builds upon Apple's longstanding commitment to advancing economic, educational, and creative opportunities in communities around the world.
Apple's commitment to celebrating and supporting Black culture and community is not new. The company has a history of initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion. For instance, in 2020, Apple launched the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative with a $100 million commitment. The initiative aims to challenge systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exist for communities of colour, and particularly for the Black community.
