Apple showcased new iPad Pro and Air models along with an updated Apple Pencil at its recent iPad event, but controversy arose over its portrayal of San Francisco’s landscape.
The tech giant streamed its customary product announcement video, featuring scenic shots of the Bay Area, including an overhead view of a BART train journeying through what seemed like a picturesque neighborhood between San Francisco’s Outer Mission and Oceanview areas.
However, keen-eyed viewers noticed discrepancies in the video. Apple appeared to have digitally removed the I-280 highway, replacing it with a scenic tree-lined gap (via SFGate).
Additionally, blocks of densely populated Oceanview homes were replaced with affluent mansions, raising questions about the authenticity of the portrayal.
Despite the controversy, the video maintained other Bay Area connections, albeit through an Apple-centric lens. Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, was featured onboard a BART train, discussing the new iPad Air. The train’s interior showcased Apple TV show ads while passengers interacted with their Apple devices.
In another segment, Ternus and iPad product design director Melody Kuna were seen at UC Berkeley’s Doe Library, discussing the iPad Air’s features. The background featured students working on Apple laptops and iPads, with no apparent alterations.
Apple has yet to respond to inquiries regarding these alterations.
