Apple unveiled its latest Black Unity Collection to celebrate Black culture and community. It features an innovative Apple Watch Sport Loop and watch face that bring the Pan-African flag colors to life through groundbreaking design technology. The annual release for Black History Month in February includes iPhone and iPad wallpapers in addition to the Apple Watch features.
Since 2021, Apple has created a new collection for Black History Month at about this time each year. The visual centerpiece of this year’s collection, dubbed “Unity Rhythm,” transforms the traditional Sport Loop into an interactive visual experience. The band employs a lenticular weaving technique that creates an eye-catching color-shifting effect. As users move their wrists, the colors shift between green and red, and yellow appears during the transition, embodying all three colors of the Pan-African flag.
The matching Unity Rhythm watch face features custom numerals formed by intertwined threads of red, green, and yellow. The design responds to the watch’s gyroscope, transforming abstract brush strokes into clear digits when users raise their wrists. Adding to the immersive experience, the watch face includes unique hourly and half-hourly chimes that complement its rhythmic theme.
The collection, developed through collaboration between Black creatives and allies at Apple, also includes matching wallpapers for iPhone and iPad. These feature the word “Unity” in custom lettering that dynamically changes orientation when devices are locked and unlocked, creating a cohesive ecosystem-wide experience.
As part of this launch, Apple is reinforcing its commitment to community support through grants to several cultural institutions globally. Beneficiaries include the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans, London’s Battersea Arts Centre, and The National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, among others. These partnerships aim to advance economic, educational, and creative opportunities in communities worldwide.
The Black Unity Sport Loop is now available for order through the Apple Store online at $49, with in-store availability beginning this week. The band comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes, compatible with Apple Watch Series 4 or newer, including both Apple Watch SE models and the Ultra series. Users can expect the Unity Rhythm watch face and wallpapers in an upcoming software update. The watch face requires an Apple Watch Series 6 or later paired with iPhone Xs or newer, while the wallpapers will be compatible with iPhone Xs or later and recent iPad models, including the latest iPad Pro, Air, and mini versions.
