Claim: A viral social media post claims Apple info-tech company is making a ‘smart wedding ring’ that makes it possible for couples to spy on each other.
According to Apple insider, the claim is untrue and merely a ‘joke.’ Further, findings show the alleged iRing technology was only taken from a 2007 publication by Yanko design, on a proposed tech ring (iRings) that will allow iPhone users to increase and decrease the volume of their devices. Thus, the claim is false.
Full Text
Technology is a transformer, a consistently transient charter that is ever evolving. As such, no invention may seem impossible, no matter how ridiculous it may appear. This is perhaps why a claim about an alleged Apple’s new invention is making the rounds.
Shared in a recent social media post, the claim alleged that Apple, the largest information technology company, is making a ‘smart wedding ring’ that makes it possible for couples to spy on each other.
The claimant, ‘SAY CHEESE!’ (@SaycheeseDGTL) who shared the post on Twitter gave some details:
“Apple is working on developing smart wedding rings which will let you know your partner’s location, where they have been, and if they take the ring off.”
Unsurprisingly, the post attracted over 10,000 reactions and diverse comments that appear to trigger laughter, questions and bewilderment amongst users who came across the claim.
One user, sxyalicer0se (@sxyalicer0se90), wrote: “That is stalkerish to the extreme. This would get so many women killed by abusive partners. What if we spent too long at the store or we had to take a detour and our man suspects us cheating? Or we had to secretly go to the doctor to get a checkup or an abortion? We will all be killed.”
Yet the conversation didn’t stop there. The claim was also extended to WhatsApp as a screenshot, where it featured on groups and users’ statuses. It aroused diverse reactions and mostly questions about its efficacy.
Interestingly, some media outlets, such as Oasis magazine, even reported on the topic with the headline: “Apple Develops Smart Wedding Rings that Makes Partners Know Locations Visited.”
Relatedly, many online narratives, such as the one under scrutiny, have been taken seriously over the years, and the claim that Apple is making a ‘smart wedding ring’ appears unignorable.
Finding answers; verifying the claim
In reality, the findings revealed that the claim is untrue and merely a ‘joke’. According to a report by ‘Apple Insider,’ Apple’s product website since 1997, the information has been a ‘joke’ and is totally untrue. The report clarified that:
“The gag originally started as just another concept. In 2007, Yanko Design published a description, with the same image used in the current tweet, as if it were a real product. If you’re familiar with Apple products, you know that the plastic and design is reminiscent of even earlier than 2007, with it mostly resembling the company’s blue and white or Bondi days.”
But was there a 2007 publication by Yanko Design according to Apple Insider?
Truly, the heralding picture of the ‘iRing’ was traced back to a publication by Yanko Design in 2007. The post detailed the idea of a tech ring that allows users to increase and decrease the volume of their iPhone devices. Although the report did term the tech rings as ‘iRing,’ it never mentioned it was for couples’ location monitoring. In fact, the publication clearly stated that:
“With a stylish design and wireless Bluetooth connectivity with your iPod and iPhone, the iRing allows you to control playback and volume on any of your Apple media devices iRing features a bright OLED status display with touch-sensitive function strip, and a rechargeable battery life of up to 2 days, conveniently recharging your iRing using the included cradle. Its minimal size and unique ring-lock mechanism make it an ideal companion for charging and storing your iRing.
Conclusion
Apparently, the Yanko design publications fell victim to a twisted narrative. There is no such location monitoring ‘iRings’ for couples and the claim is false and merely satire and an unfounded social media joke that went viral.
