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Oakland, California - This month, Apple introduced a series of new products: more powerful MacBook laptops, AirPod wireless headphones with longer battery life, and HomePod Mini speakers in three other colors.
But a different, obscure version of Apple has attracted so much interest that it has become the company’s most out-of-stock new product: a 19-dollar, 6.3 x 6.3-inch rag that can wipe smudges and smudges on the screen. fingerprint.
According to the product page, this kind of cloth with the Apple logo printed on the corners is made of "soft, non-abrasive materials" and can "safely and effectively" clean the screens of iPhone, iPad and MacBook. The list adds that the polishing cloth (uppercase P, uppercase C) is "compatible" with 88 different Apple products. For most American shoppers, shipments will be delayed until January 11 at the earliest.
Even according to Apple's standards, charging $19 for a piece of cloth about the size of two stacks of dollar bills is a bold approach, and Apple's loyal customer army has become accustomed to enduring high prices. For example, an Apple-branded four-wheel set that "improves mobility" for the Mac Pro (the company's most expensive desktop computer) is priced at $699.
But the polishing cloth stands out because it is much more expensive than widely used alternatives. MagicFiber is a popular brand of microfiber cloth that uses microfiber to clean glass without scratching the surface. It is available on Amazon for a pack of six for $9.
Walter Gonzalez, president and founder of MagicFiber's parent company, Goja, said of Apple: "You have to convince them that they have the guts to charge $19."
Even so, the price did not stop Apple fans from scrambling to try new things.
Albert Lee, 47, a director of a consulting firm in New York, said he bought the cloth at the Apple Store on Tuesday. When the polishing cloth caught his attention, he was picking up a new high-end laptop MacBook Pro. He bought four and then posted his bounty photo on Twitter.
"This is just a purely excessive point," Mr. Li admitted, calling this profligacy an impulse purchase of "the highest quality fabric." He added: "I just spent $4,000 on a laptop. How much is the remaining $19?"
On Twitter, this fabric has been a source of jokes and even imitating accounts since Apple quietly launched it on October 18. Later that week, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted a tweet promoting a new retail store in Turkey, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave him an injection. , Replied: "Let's take a look at the apple cloth", there is a trademark on it.
(Mr. Musk’s company does not shy away from testing its brand’s strength and customer loyalty. Tesla’s website provides a $150 company brand "hand blown" decanter and a $60 decanter with Umbrella with "ergonomically designed handle".)
Technically speaking, this cloth is not a new product. Apple has previously provided free services to customers who purchase its high-end display Pro Display XDR. The $5,999 display uses a special type of glass to reduce glare, but it may be scratched if wiped with a traditional cloth. Apple stated that it designed its own fabric for this special glass and decided to sell the product separately when some customers asked for additional products.
An Apple official said in an interview that the company was not surprised by the demand for polishing cloth based on the fact that the New York Times did not quote or specify her conditions. The official said the fabric is very effective and has a very special design, including a custom light gray. Apple said the fabric is made of non-woven microfiber, but declined to elaborate.
Federico Viticci, editor-in-chief of the MacStories website, said that he initially thought polishing cloth was a joke.
"I always use the cloth or paper towels that come with my glasses or T-shirt to clean iPhone screens and iPad screens like ordinary people," he said.
But Mr. Vitic, who is based in Italy, said that he eventually bought the polishing cloth because "I am a little aware of the memetic potential here." Since then, his tweets about the product have received hundreds of likes and praises. Reposted, subscribers of his website asked for exclusive cloth photos.
Patrick Tomasso, 32, the creator of Toronto technology and photography-related videos, also said that he also thinks that Apple’s charge of $25 for this fabric is “ridiculous” because many Technology products contain fabrics that do not contain microfibers.
But when he noticed that it won't be shipped until next year, he said he was a bit "fear of missing out"-afraid of missing out-and quickly snapped up two from the nearby Apple store. As a spoof, Mr. Tommaso then made an "out-of-the-box video" of opening "the most revolutionary Apple product" by himself.
In the video, he noticed that the color of the polishing cloth looks different-grayer, less white-and there is a large crease in the middle, which may need to be ironed.
His evaluation? This is a good piece of cloth, worth about $5.
"I may not buy it again, but I like the fact that I own it," Mr. Tommaso said. Then he paused, adding: "But I hate that I like that I have one."