January 26, 2022
UPDATE
Apple shines a light on black voices during Black History Month
To celebrate Black History Month, Apple is shining a spotlight on black business and innovation, and amplifying black voices with a variety of exclusive content and curated collections. Throughout the month, users can listen to special episodes of “The Message” on Apple Music 1 that discuss the contributions of black creators to culture and the importance of health and wellness in the community; join new workouts that honor Black History Month on Apple Fitness+; discover new podcasts from black creators on health, wellness, culture and history on Apple Podcasts; and much more. Starting today, customers can also enjoy a special-edition Unity Lights watch face and order the new Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop.
Apple Music
Apple Music is launching a campaign around the theme Music is Healing. Special episodes of “The Message” on Apple Music 1 will feature in-depth conversations between Ebro Darden, Apple Music’s Head of Hip-Hop and R&B Editorial, and guests. The radio episodes will contextualize contemporary issues related to Black health and well-being and highlight the historical perspective, accomplishments and contributions that Black people have made to culture. Music programming on the Apple Music Browse, Genre, and Radio pages will highlight diverse interpretations around the themes of movement, black love, celebration, and peace. Apple Music TV will also feature full-day checkouts of campaign-inspired music videos.
Apple Fitness+
To support users on their health and wellness journey, Fitness+ will feature new workouts that pay homage to Black History Month, including dedicated playlists celebrating Black artists, plus two new meditations led by Fitness+ trainers Christian Howard and JoAnna Hardy, focused on the themes of gratitude and awareness. Throughout the month, users will also have the chance to participate in the Unity Challenge and win a limited-edition prize, by closing their Move ring seven days in a row. The inclusive team of Fitness+ trainers will also be wearing the new Apple Watch Unity Braided Solo Loop to celebrate Black History Month.
On February 7, Fitness+ will also release a new episode of Time to Walk, an inspirational audio experience on Apple Watch, featuring activist Ayọ Tometi, one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. During this walk, she shares how the murder of Trayvon Martin deepened her commitment to activism and why changing her name changed her outlook on life. On the same day, Time to Run, an audio running experience designed to help users become more consistent and better runners, will feature a new episode featuring Fitness+ trainer Cory Wharton-Malcolm as he trains runners in Atlanta, Georgia, with notable sites such as the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.
Apple podcast
On Apple Podcasts, listeners can browse an extensive catalog of shows from Black creators and about Black history, health, wellness and culture. Apple Podcasts also invited seven potential tellers of podcasting history to share their critically acclaimed work alongside episodes that inspire them. Listeners in the United States can explore collections curated by best-selling author, teacher, and social commentator Roxane Gay; food writer, entrepreneur and founder of Whetstone Magazine Stephen Satterfield; former basketball player and sports TV personality Jay Williams; artist and poet Morgan Harper Nichols; founder of the Well-Read Black Girl Glory Edim reading network; and founders of financial education and lifestyle brand Earn Your Leisure, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.
apple watch
Apple is releasing a special edition Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and matching Unity Lights watch face inspired by Afrofuturism, a philosophy that explores the black experience through a narrative of science, technology and empowerment. As part of the launch, Apple is supporting organizations focused on promoting inclusion in science and technology for communities of color through its Racial Equity and Justice initiative.
Designed by members and allies of Apple’s Black creative community to celebrate Black history and culture, the Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and matching Unity Lights Watch Face pay homage to generations of Blacks across the African Diaspora. This design symbolizes a common belief in the need for a fairer world. The vibrant red and green colors of the Pan-African flag appear as a dappled light on the black band.
The band is completed by the Unity Lights watch face, which is designed using 2D ray tracing, a technology never before implemented for a watch face. Each pixel on the screen simulates the light and shadow passing through it and the movement of the clock hands simultaneously reveals and hides the light, changing dynamically throughout the day. The Unity Lights watch face can be customized to be a full screen or circular face, and includes a black and white option, graduations and up to four complications. iPhone, iPad and Mac users can also show their support for Black History Month by downloading Afrofuturism-inspired wallpapers from apple.com.
App store
the App store highlights a full range of apps that enable Black health and wellbeing in all areas of life, from financial wellbeing to physical and mental wellbeing. Apple’s global editorial team will feature inspiring stories about apps, developers and influential voices promoting safe environments for Black communities. Among these people and apps are black-owned apps like Irth that provide maternal health resources to black women; outdoor and nature apps like AllTrails, Merlin Bird ID and Nike Run Club, which promote solidarity among members of the black community through fitness, nature and collective care; three daring content creators who use Clubhouse, the social audio app, to level the playing field and uplift each other; and games like “Insecure: The Come Up Game” – inspired by the popular HBO series “Insecure”.
Apple Books
Apple Books focuses on the health and well-being of black people by highlighting authors – like Harriet A. Washington and Alex Elle – who address these multidimensional themes. With collections that explore their work and other features recommending works by Black writers in a variety of genres, Apple Books will offer readers and listeners diverse perspectives on the richness of Black expression and experience.
Apple Cards
Apple Maps users can learn about black history or discover black-owned businesses through curated guides. For users looking to learn more about black history, check out Atlanta’s features Famous Black History Sites of Auburn AvenueNational Park Foundation Highlights National parks that honor black historyThe Philadelphia Inquirer gives users a way to Explore Philadelphia’s Anti-Slavery Sitesand Tinybeans outlines places to learn about black history throughout Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, Seattleand washington d.c. Maps is also helping users support black-owned businesses with guides from Complex celebrating Black-owned streetwear and sneaker stores; EatOkra, with food guides from Carla Room, KJ Kearney, and Pierre Thiam; and The Infatuation spotlighting black-owned restaurants in cities like Chicago, Miamiand philadelphia cream.
AppleTV app
The Apple TV app will feature curated collections from leading black creators and stars, including Natasha Rothwell, Sam Richardson and more, who have shared what they watch to relax. Viewers can also explore an array of mood-based collections ranging from rest and romance to deep contemplation, as well as collections centered on wellness, spirituality and faith.
Apple News
Throughout February, Apple News readers and listeners are invited to delve into the important work of today’s top black journalists. Audiences can explore expert reporting and analysis on the black experience through curated collections, audio stories and episodes of Apple News Today, a daily audio briefing from Apple News available each weekday morning.
Shot on iPhone
Apple’s latest Shot on iPhone campaign, “Our Stories,” features portraits and videos of four trailblazers who are at the heart of black history – from artist to costume designer, music director and Michelin star chef. Each individual shares stories about their inspiration, life’s work and philosophy.
Price and availability
- The Black Unity Braided Solo Loop is available now on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, and will be available in select Apple Stores beginning Tuesday, February 1 for $99 (WE).
- The Black Unity Braided Solo Loop is compatible with Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 4 or newer.
- The Unity Lights watch face will be available today and requires an Apple Watch Series 4 or later running watchOS 8.3, and an iPhone 6s or later running iOS 15.2.
- Apple Watch Black Unity packaging, Apple Store locations and Apple Store app will include App Clip functionality for customers to easily download the watch face, or customers can download from apple.com.
- Fitness+ is available as a subscription service for $9.99 (US) per month or $79.99 (United States) per year.
Press contacts
Makeda Bell
Apple
(669) 218-1558
Lance Lin
Apple
(408) 974-5036
Apple Media Phone Support
(408) 974-2042
