Apple has apologized for an ad for the new iPad after an online uproar over the message.
The video shows a hydraulic press crushing a collection of creative objects – such as musical instruments and books – before an iPad appears on screen. The message “The most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest” implies that Apple can capture the entire human culture in one electronic device.
A message that annoyed, for example, the British actor Hugh Grant, who wrote on Twitter: “The destruction of the human experience, thanks to Silicon Valley”. And American director Justine Bateman wrote: “Why does Apple make an advert crushing the arts? Because technology and artificial intelligence are destroying the arts and society in general.”
Apple has since apologized for the commercial. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to develop products that support creative people around the world. Our goal was to celebrate the many ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life using an iPad. But with this video we missed that mark, and we’re sorry for that.” The advertisement will remain online on Twitter and YouTube, but Apple has reportedly canceled plans to also broadcast the advertisement on television.