On Thursday, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released its annual holiday ad, "A Critter Carol," a short film featuring a group of handcrafted woodland puppets who stumble upon a lost iPhone 17 Pro and use it to record a cheerful song about friendship.
Apple Unveils New Holiday Film Filled With Puppets, Practical Effects
Apple CEO Tim Cook took to X and shared the video saying, "Holiday cheer, a little bit of magic, and a whole lot of heart, captured on iPhone 17 Pro by a few handmade puppet friends!"
Set in a snowy forest, the film shows the animals — including a raccoon, bear, deer and owl — capturing their moment on the device before its owner tracks it down using Find My on his Apple Watch.
He later discovers the critters' recording, making it the story's warm final reveal.
Behind The Scenes: How Apple Used iPhone 17 Pro
Apple says the entire production was filmed on the iPhone 17 Pro, supported by additional equipment and software.
The ad highlights the phone's camera capabilities, including 8× optical zoom, Center Stage and Dual Capture using front and rear cameras simultaneously.
Director Mark Molloy, an award-winning Australian filmmaker, said the device gave him an unexpectedly immersive way to tell the story. "That power is in all of our hands now," he said.
A behind-the-scenes video shows puppeteers bringing the critters to life and artists hand-printing typography using woodblocks.
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Apple Set To Overtake Samsung As iPhone 17 Sales Soar
iPhone 17 lineup's strong sales helped Apple surpass Wall Street's fourth-quarter revenue and earnings expectations.
According to new data from Counterpoint Research, Apple is projected to deliver 10% year-over-year growth in smartphone shipments — more than double the 4.6% growth expected for current market leader Samsung Electronics (OTC:SSNLF).
Counterpoint forecasts the global smartphone market will expand 3.3% in 2025. Apple is expected to capture 19.4% of total market share, edging past Samsung.
If the projections hold, 2025 would mark the first year since 2011 that Apple leads the global smartphone market.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that AAPL is maintaining a strong upward trend across short, mid and long-term periods. Click here to compare its performance with other stocks in the sector.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Ringo Chiu on Shutterstock.com
