Apple has redesigned so much of everyday life. But one thing that can get overlooked, perhaps because of its big, nasty corporate ways, is its influence on music. For months, I’ve been thinking about Slayyyter’s comments on iPod music. Not only did the technology revolutionize how a generation consumed music, but its marketing played a significant role, too. As Apple evolved our intimate relationship with technology, it also exerted a musical influence. It’s still doing that today.
There are some new artists being championed by Apple’s marketing tastemakers, including the elusive intimatelectro duo ear. Yaelle Avtan and Jonah Paz have caught people’s, well, ears with their finely tuned, corroded iPhone recordings, which shaped their album Rumspringa. Now the Rumspringa track “Threads" soundtracks a new iPhone commercial. It’s a strange, somewhat nice full-circle moment.
Yesterday was Apple’s new iPhone launch, its first under new CEO John Ternus. The “Surprise and Shine” event was held in Cupertino and saw the announcement of AirPods 5, which are said to have improved noise reduction and durability, as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which feature camera improvements. The phones had a ROSÉ tie-in: her new single “new trick,” is out Sep. 17, accompanied by a video shot on the iPhone 18 Pro. She joins the lineup of pop stars who have appeared in shot-on-iPhone campaigns, including Olivia Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back!” (iPhone 15 Pro Max) and Lady Gaga’s “Stupid Love” (iPhone 11).
The biggest news at the event was the first foldable iPhone, dubbed iPhone Duo, which starts at $1,999. ear gets a spotlight in its commercial. In the video, the iPhone user asks Siri AI, which was also announced yesterday, about a new artist that his friend Adam texted him about. The new Siri combs through his messages to find one from July 2025 that reads "Hey you should check out the artist ear, they're awesome!" and then plays a song from their new album. His friend Adam really knows his music stuff.
Check it out below.
@michiganderband if you know me, you know how much of an Apple fan boy I am. I can’t believe this is real. #Iphone #apple #iphoneduo #music
♬ original sound - Michigander
