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Here’s a closer look at the new 2023 Pride theme for Apple Watch and iPhone

9to5Mac revealed a first look at the 2023 Apple Watch Pride face and band last month, and Apple officially announced them on Tuesday. While the new band won’t be available in stores until May 24, the company has confirmed that the new Pride watch face and wallpaper for iPhone are coming next week with watchOS 9.5 and iOS 16.5. Here’s a closer look at what they look like.

Apple says the new sport band is “inspired by the strength and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community.” It features the original pride flag rainbow colors, as well as black and brown to represent Black and Latin communities. Additionally, the light blue, pink, and white colors represent transgender and nonbinary individuals.

New Pride face for Apple Watch

The new Pride face for Apple Watch is inspired by the design of the new 2023 Pride band. By default, it shows an analog watch with colored pills around the display. The hands match the colors they’re currently pointing to. However, users can customize the new watch face.

There are three different styles available: Motion, Hour Marks, and Numerals. The first one is the default, getting its name because the colored pills move when the display is awake. You can also tap the screen to interact with them. This style has no complications available except for the calendar or digital time in the center.

Hour Marks and Numerals transform the watch face into one very similar to the classic Infographic, with four complications in the corners plus one in the center. As the name suggests, one of them features the numerals on the clock, while the other shows only the reference marks. In this case, the numbers and markers are displayed in the same colors as the colored pills.

Here's a closer look at the new 2023 Pride theme for Apple Watch and iPhone

Although Apple’s marketing images show the new watch face with a white background, users can change the background to black. There’s no option to change the colors of the complications.

New Pride wallpaper for iPhone

Top comment by Johnny Cash

Liked by 9 people

Sprinkles.

Or bacteria.

My artistic side is fighting with my medical background.

Either way, Ooof, Apple.

View all comments

Apple has also introduced a new Pride wallpaper for iPhone that’s also based on the 2023 Pride band and watch face. However, the colored pills take up almost the entire iPhone screen. They also move when you lock and unlock the screen. On the iPhone 14 Pro, the pills get thinner in Always-on mode.

The background changes from white to black based on whether the system is set to light or dark mode. Users can change the font and add widgets to the Lock Screen, but you can only choose between gradient and white as color options.

Here's a closer look at the new 2023 Pride theme for Apple Watch and iPhone

Availability

According to Apple, iOS 16.5 and watchOS 9.5 will be released to the public next week. However, developers and public beta testers can already add the new Pride theme by installing the RC builds that were released today.

It’s worth noting that you can still buy the 2022 edition of the Apple Watch Pride band.

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Author

Avatar for Filipe Espósito Filipe Espósito

Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian tech Journalist who started covering Apple news on iHelp BR with some exclusive scoops — including the reveal of the new Apple Watch Series 5 models in titanium and ceramic. He joined 9to5Mac to share even more tech news around the world.