Apple’s Most Ordered New Product Isn’t What You Expected


OAKLAND, California — Apple introduced this month a host of new gadgets: more powerful MacBook laptops, AirPod wireless headphones with longer battery life, and HomePod Mini speakers in three different colors.

But a different and unannounced Apple version is gaining so much attention that it’s become the company’s most-ordered new product: a $19, 6.3-by-6.3-inch cloth for wiping smudges and fingerprints off screens.

The cloth with the Apple logo printed on the corner is made of a “soft, non-abrasive material” to clean the screens of iPhone, iPad and MacBooks “safely and effectively”. product page. The listing adds that the Polishing Cloth – capital P, capital C – is “compatible” with 88 different Apple products. For most US customers, shipping will be delayed until January 11 at the earliest.

Paying $19 for a piece of cloth the size of two stacked bills is audacious, even by the standards of Apple, a company conditioned to devour steep prices by legions of loyal customers. A Apple branded four-wheel set For example, the Mac Pro, the company’s most expensive desktop computer, retails for $699 to “increase mobility.”

But Polishing Cloth stands out as it is much more expensive than its widely available alternatives. MagicFiber, a popular microfiber cloth brand that uses ultrafine fibers to clean glass without scratching the surface, offers a six-pack for $9 on Amazon.

“You have to give them credit for Chutzpah to charge $19,” said Walter Gonzalez, president and founder of Goja, the parent company of MagicFiber, for Apple.

Even so, the price hasn’t stopped Apple fans from rushing into early adoption.

Albert Lee, 47, a manager at a consulting firm in New York, said he bought the fabric at an Apple Store on Tuesday. He was buying a new MacBook Pro, a high-end laptop, when the Polishing Cloth caught his eye. Took four and then sent a picture of his award from Twitter.

“It’s just a point of exaggeration,” said Mr. Lee, describing the splurge as an impulsive purchase of “the most elite fabric.” He added: “I spent $4,000 on a laptop. How much is another 19 dollars?”

fabric on twitter bait for jokes and even a parody account since Apple quietly put it up for sale on October 18. replying and stabbed him, “Come see Apple Fabric” with trademark logo.

(Mr. Musk’s company isn’t afraid to test the strength of its brand and the loyalty of its customers. Tesla’s website features a company-branded “hand blown” jug for $150 and A $60 umbrella with “ergonomically designed handle”)

Technically, fabric is not a new product. Apple previously offered one of its high-end monitors, the Pro Display XDR, free of charge to customers who purchased it. The $5,999 display has a special type of glass that reduces glare but can scratch when wiped with a conventional cloth. Apple said it designed its own fabric for that special glass and decided to sell the product separately when some customers wanted to buy extra.

An Apple official said he wasn’t surprised by the company’s request for Polishing Pads, in an interview on the condition that The New York Times would not quote him or reveal his identity. The official said the fabric is very effective and has been specially designed, including a special light gray colour. Apple said the fabric is made from a non-woven microfiber, but declined to give details.

Federico Viticci, Editor-in-Chief MacStoriesA website dedicated to Apple news and apps, he initially said he thought the Polishing Cloth was a joke.

“I clean my iPhone screen and iPad screen with the cloth that comes with my glasses or t-shirt, or with a paper towel like normal people do,” he said.

However, Italy-based Mr. Viticci said he bought the Polishing Cloth because “I kind of realized the potential of the breast here.” His tweets about the product have since received hundreds and thousands of likes and retweets, and subscribers to his site have requested exclusive fabric photos.

Patrick Tomasso, 32, a Toronto-based YouTube tech and photography video creator, said he thought it “ridiculous” that Apple charged CAD 25 for fabric because many tech products don’t include microfiber cloth.

But when she realized it wasn’t shipping until next year, she said it was “somewhat FOMO”—fear of missing out—and quickly bought two pages from a nearby Apple store. As a fraud, Mr. Tomasso later called a “unboxing videoHe’s the one who unveils “the most revolutionary Apple product”.

In the video, he noticed that the color of the Polishing Cloth looked different in person – more gray, less white – and had a large crease in the middle that might need ironing.

His rating? Maybe $5 worth of nice fabric.

“I probably wouldn’t buy it again, but I love the fact that I own one,” said Mr. Tomasso. Then he paused and added, “But I hate that I like what I have.”





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