Apple unloads new accessories for upcoming devices

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

While a lot of the focus of Apple’s event this week was on the iPhone SE and the iPad Pro (9.7-inch) models, we also got a lot of new Apple accessories across the line.

Apple is fast becoming the premier maker of Apple product accessories. Not only does it now make a ton of Apple Watch straps in a variety of materials, colours and styles, they’ve also been releasing a variety of other accessories worth considering. The company has recently put up an accessory subsection on their website and even have a Made by Apple designation which already tells you that you can expect quality accessories tailor-fit for your device, for a price.

Apple Watch

No other wearable in the market has as many looks or options as the Apple Watch. It hasn’t been in the market for a whole year yet and there seems to be a lot of choice in a range of prices, materials and colours.

New for this season are the Woven Nylon which somewhat resembles the trendy NATO straps we’re seeing on luxury watches.

These bands are fun and look great and should be great as basic straps worn for all types of conditions.

The Milanese Loop, which is one of the more inventive and luxe straps available for the Apple Watch now has a Space Black colour which will sit well with the Space Black Apple Watch variant.

There’s a few more colours for the Classic Buckle, which uses calf leather and a stainless steel enclosure. Marigold, Marine Blue, Blue Jay, Storm Grey and Red are some new colours that stand out. The more premium Leather Loop and Modern Buckle bands seem to have some additions as well.

iPad Pro

Buyers of the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro (pre-orders start tomorrow, in stores on March 31) now have a gamut of new Smart Covers in a variety of colours. The Smart Keyboard, which also doubles as a cover and will likely be the most sought after accessory when it ships is also coming.

The iPad Pro also gets a new Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. A USB-C to Lightning Cable connects iOS devices to a USB Type-C port on the MacBook and presumably to ports in upcoming Macs.

iPhone SE

As for the iPhone SE, the good news is that if you have iPhone 5 or iPhone 5S cases or accessories lying around from two years ago, these will likely fit as the dimensions are identical (even though we hear the iPhone SE is an entirely new beast on the inside).

Clearly, these are just the start since third-party manufacturers will definitely add their own accessories.