Pride Bands 2016-2020
The Apple Pride collection 2017 through 2020.
Apple has now released limited-run Apple Watch Pride band for purchase four years running - starting back in 2017 and recently announcing its 2020 Pride bands on May 18, 2020. Here's a flyover history of the Apple Pride bands.
2016
Apple first unveiled a Pride band back in 2016, a full year before they went on sale to the public. These bands were distributed to Apple employees who took part in San Francisco's pride parade on June 26. A note accompanying the band read:
"This limited-edition band is a symbol of our commitment to equality and we hope you'll wear it with pride."
2017
Apple released its first public Woven Nylon Pride Band at WWDC 2017. These bands featured a gradient matching the Pride flag colours and were made out of the same woven nylon material that Apple debuted in 2016, although the colour gradient was subtly changed. Apple listed that sales of the bands in the US go to support LGBTQ groups, including GLSEN, The Trevor Project, the Human Rights Campaign, and PFLAG. Internationally, ILGA would receive a portion of proceeds. These bands were available for the 38mm & 42mm Apple Watches, sold only through Apple (retail stores and online), and cost $49.
Sources: Apple Debuts New Summer Apple Watch Bands, Including Rainbow Pride Woven Nylon Band & Apple Confirms Sales of Apple Watch Pride Edition Band Will Support LGBTQ Groups
2018
Again at WWDC, Apple unveiled its latest iteration of the Pride band. Continuing to use the woven nylon material, these bands featured coloured strips of the Pride flag scheme on a white background. New to 2018 was Apple's inclusion of a Pride watch face iOS 11.4 & watchOS 4.3.1 that became available as a timed-release following WWDC's keynote address (unless you did a time skip and got it earlier). The Pride face featured dozens of coloured threads that slid into the face to align with the colours of the band. These bands were available for the 38mm & 42mm Apple Watches, sold only through Apple (retail stores and online), and cost $49.
Source: Apple introduces new Apple Watch Pride band, available today
2019
Debuting at WWDC 2019, and with Apple having discontinued the Woven Nylon bands, 2019 saw the Pride band's debut on Apple's Sport Loop material. Apple also provided several new Pride new watch faces - Pride digital or Pride Analog - which were made available the previous month with the release of watchOS 5.1.2. The bands were available for the 38/40mm & 42/44mm watch cases and cost $49.
Source: Hands-on with the 2019 Pride Sport Loop and Apple Watch faces
2020
Announced only this past Monday (May 21, 2020), for the first time, Apple released two separate Pride bands in their Sport Band material and a collection of several new Pride variants of their existing watch faces.
This is the first time Apple has released the Pride band in their fluoroelastomer material. The first band consisted of a hand-assembled and compression moulded fluoroelastomer using a more pastel palette, matching the Pride flag colours. Apple states that this process: "results in subtle variations in the wavy rainbow design, making each strap artfully unique."
Their second band is a white Nike Sport Band made of the same fluoroelastomer material, which features compression-moulded perforations inset with the Pride Flag colours. People who purchased a Nike Series 4/5 Apple Watch will also have access to several Nike-exclusive Pride watch faces with the release of watchOS 6.2.5 & iOS 13.5.
Source: Apple releases two new Pride Edition Sport Bands for Apple Watch
