Apple has been known to launch ridiculously priced accessories for its products that should have been bundled in the box in the first place. For example, the stand for the Pro Display XDR is sold separately for $999 and the wheels for the Mac Pro computer tower go for $699. Adding to that list, though on a relatively smaller scale, Apple has now launched a "polishing cloth" for $19.
What's Special About Apple's Polishing Cloth?
Apple silently launched its polishing cloth alongside the new MacBook Pro models and AirPods 3 at its "Unleashed" event on October 18. The cloth is made with a "soft, non-abrasive material." It is meant to clean any "Apple display, including nano-texture glass, safely and effectively."
The only other highlight of the cloth is that there's an Apple logo stamped on it.
Apple bundles the same cloth with the Pro Display XDR. It's primarily intended to clean the display panel without damaging its nano-texture glass. In the Apple store listing, Apple says the cloth is compatible with the iPhone 6 Plus and newer, iPad 5 and newer, Apple Watch Series 1 and newer, Pro Display XDR, and all recent iMac, MacBook Pro models.
But Apple gives no explanation why this cloth wouldn't be compatible with any device with a screen, made by any company.
Why You Don't Need Apple's Polishing Cloth
Unless you have the Pro Display XDR and lost its bundled cleaning cloth, there's no need for you to buy this polishing cloth. It doesn't offer anything special that will clean your Mac or iPhone display a better than a regular lint-free microfiber cloth.
Buying a $19 polishing cloth for an iPhone or Apple Watch makes little sense since equally effective microfiber cloths are available for as little as $0.58 when you buy a pack of 24 on Amazon, and all those cloths still cost less than a single Apple one.
Only Pro Display XDR Owners Need This Cloth
Apple's polishing cloth is intended to protect the nano-texture glass on the Pro Display XDR. But no other Apple products ship with nano-texture glass, so the polishing cloth will not be useful for them in any way. So, save your money and just buy a microfiber cloth from Amazon for a few bucks.