Here’s why Apple apologised after launching new iPad Pro

Apple’s apology: Apple issued an apology on Thursday following backlash over an advertisement for its latest iPad Pro model, which depicted an animation of musical instruments and other symbols of creativity being crushed, as reported by Ad Age magazine.

The tech giant expressed regret, stating, "Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry," according to Ad Age.

While an Apple spokesperson declined to comment further, directing inquiries to the Ad Age report, the advertisement titled "Crush" has garnered over a million views on Apple's YouTube channel and was shared by CEO Tim Cook on social media platform X. The ad portrays various creative tools and objects, such as a camera, guitar, piano, and paint, being destroyed by an industrial crusher, culminating in the reveal of the newly unveiled iPad, symbolising its sleek design.

Online critics condemned the ad as insensitive and a departure from Apple's traditional branding, which has positioned the company as nonconformist, human-friendly, and an antidote to a dystopian, colourless world. Actor Hugh Grant took to social media platform X to express his disapproval, stating that the ad depicted "the destruction of the human experience courtesy of Silicon Valley."

Based in Cupertino, California, Apple introduced the tablet on Tuesday, featuring a new chip for artificial intelligence computing, as it seeks to keep pace with its Big Tech competitors in the race to dominate emerging technologies. The iPad Pro, which became available for order on Thursday, boasts upgraded displays and is touted as "the thinnest Apple product ever."

(With Reuters inputs)