At a recent Apple Event, the company launched its most powerful and thinnest tablet yet. Tim Cook, promoting the new iPad Pro, declared, “Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create.”
While the announcement was met with enthusiasm, the accompanying advertising video sparked controversy. In the video, Apple depicted a hydraulic machine crushing beloved items from daily life, including musical instruments, painting kits, televisions, gaming stations, clay art, and even books, implying that the iPad Pro could replace them all.
The video drew criticism, particularly from artists and creators, as it portrayed the destruction of tools essential to their livelihoods and passions, suggesting they were rendered obsolete by the iPad Pro‘s digital capabilities. This mentality faced widespread backlash, prompting Apple to issue an apology and disable comments on the YouTube video.
Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of marketing communication, expressed regret, stating, “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through the iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”
