Apple is making a ‘smart wedding ring’ that makes it possible to spy on a spouse, according to a recent social media post. But, it’s just a prank.
Many online pranks have been taken seriously over the years, and the suggestion that Apple is making a ‘smart wedding ring’ has now been added to the list. Online jokes can be funny or annoying, depending on the reader’s point of view. While most are harmless, there are some that have created problems. For example, Google’s ‘Gmail Mic Drop’ joke from 2016 was lambasted by users for disrupting their jobs and businesses.
Apple is a leading innovator and has launched a number of products over the years that have then been replicated by others. The iPod, the iPhone, and the AirPods are just a few examples where the company has come out with a product that’s created a new or forwarded an existing industry. Due to this, even when someone jokes about the company launching a new product, no matter how strange it might sound, there are some that are likely to take it seriously.
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A viral tweet this week claimed that Apple is making a set of ‘smart wedding rings’ that will help people spy on their spouse. According to the post, the rings will be able to detect the wearer’s location and will automatically alert the spouse if the person takes it off. The tweet also came with an elaborate render of the ring which seemed to suggest that Apple was, indeed, working on such a product. The post soon went viral, receiving 1000s of Quote Tweets and more than 1,000 likes. It is difficult to tell whether it was meant to be a hoax or an innocent prank, but it gained a lot of traction, with people wondering what such a device would mean for their privacy, and why something like it would be needed in a relationship in the first place.
Apple is working on developing smart wedding rings which will let you know your partners location, where they have been, and if they take the ring off pic.twitter.com/gIIhx6gGC5
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) February 1, 2022
The Apple ‘iRing’ Prank Dates Back To 2007
In reality, Apple is not working on smart wedding rings to help married people track their spouses. The post was a typical social media joke that went viral, but there’s no truth to it. According to Apple Insider, this joke started in 2007 when Yanko Design published concept ‘iRing’ renders which showed paired rings in black and white with the Apple logo emblazoned on them. The latest prank uses one of those images, which is a clear indication that this is a prank rather than something real.
While the concerns shared on social media regarding such a product are real, Apple isn’t planning to release a product like it. However, the timing of the prank is what makes it believable, considering all the negative publicity over AirTags and the privacy concerns raised by tracking technology. Apple’s AirTags have come under severe scrutiny in recent months over allegations that some people are using them to track others without their knowledge. AirTags have also reportedly been used to steal cars, according to a number of police departments across the country. Either way, the AirTag will remain the most disconcerting Apple product in the foreseeable future, with the iRing continuing to be the work of a concept designer.
Source: SAY CHEESE!/Twitter, Apple Insider, Yanko Design
