Gadgets

Apple, the multinational tech giant behind the iPhone, has usually followed the strategy of making its products desirable, and it has achieved instant success to this end. Its products are used by many and are sought by even more. They are expensive yet innovative, which reflects on the company’s rapid success. Before Apple launches a new product, a wild excitement sweeps consumers about the features and the cost of the new product. This time, a product is making heads turn in surprise. Apple is now selling a “polishing cloth” for Rs 1,900.

There’s more. Apple is giving potential customers the option to pay for it in monthly installments of Rs. 224. The company says its polishing cloth is “made with soft, non-abrasive material” and it cleans any Apple display, including nano-texture glass, safely and effectively.

On its website, Apple has listed out its “compatibility” with a range of products. The polishing cloth is compatible with a number of iPhone models, iPad models, Mac models – the three flagship Apple products – and also some Apple Watch and iPod models.

Apple products are known for their finesse and require utmost care. The special coating it puts on displays of its high-end iMac systems and other similar products are susceptible to scratches during polishing. So, it makes sense to use a particular type of cloth, made with soft material, to clean them. Also, compared to the cost of Apple displays, the polishing cloth’s price is negligible. Some people say Apple should include the cloth with its products that may require it and not charge for it separately.

In other Apple news, the company recently unveiled the third-generation AirPods, which are the successor to the AirPods 2, aka AirPods (2nd generation). The AirPods (3rd Generation) have shorter stems to provide a better grip and improved ergonomics. The company has set the price for AirPods (3rd Generation) in India at Rs. 18,500. The new trule wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds will be available for orders in the country through the Apple India Online Store starting Monday, October 25 and will go on sale from Tuesday.


This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, we discuss iPhone 13, new iPad and iPad mini, and Apple Watch Series 7 — and what they mean to the Indian market. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.