From the first Mission Impossible in 1996 to the recent F1 blockbuster, Apple products have regularly appeared in TV and film for decades. But did you know they don’t pay a penny for it? Instead, thanks to long-lasting marketing relationships built with Hollywood, Apple loans out all manner of devices for the crew to use on set.
But in the last decade or so, advances in Apple technology have taken their products from simply appearing on the silver screen to shooting the very films themselves – this got us thinking…
Is there any method to the madness? Have we ever seen a ‘bad guy’ use an Apple product on screen? Did Apple ever intend for their iPhones to be both an everyday product for the public and primary camera equipment for word-class production crews?
Grab your popcorn, and let’s find out.
From the screen…
As big fans of F1, it’s no surprise that we went to see the aptly-named new movie – and maybe even less surprising that we were hyperfocused on the mass of Apple product placement. What started with iPhone and Airpod Max cameos turned into an all-out premium showcase, with Pro Display XDRs powered by Mac Studios shown in the Apex F1 Team headquarters.
F1 is an Apple-made movie (their highest-grossing theatrical film ever) so the barrage of product placements is hardly a revelation. But Apple products have been appearing on the screen long before its foray into TV and film distribution – and interestingly, only ever portrayed in a positive light. This is guided by Apple’s film and TV marketing strategy originally set up by Suzanne Forlenza, and still in use today. She told The Telegraph “We have a standing insistence that [Apple] will only be in the hands of the good guys.”
Can you think of a time when an Apple product was used by a ‘bad guy’ or portrayed in a negative light? The hit Netflix US TV series House of Cards sprang to mind for us. iPhones and Macs are used explicitly in almost every episode by characters who have committed some heinous acts. This seems to go against the grain and we’re not entirely sure why. Maybe the stature of the characters as White House representatives overrides the moral argument, but it does beg the question of where they would draw the line.
To the lens…
Apple products being used by “good guys” seems trivial when placed alongside a product endorsement that trumps it all – as TV and film crews began leveraging iPhones to shoot productions. Take the F1 movie, which utilised custom camera technology based on iPhone 15 Pro components, including the sensor and A-series chip, to capture high-quality footage inside real F1 cars.
Meanwhile, the recent Apple release, Big Man, was shot entirely on an iPhone 16 Pro, using ProRes LOG for flexible post-production editing. Granted, it was only 20 minutes long with no special effects, joining a collection of low-budget films that have been shot entirely with iPhones – including Sean Baker’s critically-acclaimed Tangerine in 2015.
However, recent blockbuster 28 Years Later smashed the glass ceiling here, becoming the biggest movie to date filmed primarily on smartphones. The $75 million production used adapted iPhone 15 Pro Max’s as the principal camera system for the film, plus lens adapters, cages, and custom-built rigs.
Two decades ago, would you have believed someone if they told you that the same camera you use to take a photo of your kids at a birthday party would also be used to film not just one, but two of the highest-grossing films of 2025? Probably not, but here we are.
Apple technology for all
Apple’s product endorsement in TV and film has been undoubtedly intentional over the years. But whether they knew filmmakers would one day gravitate to their products to make these films is up for debate. Either way, it’s a testament to the levels that their everyday technology has reached and a shining example of the power and potential that Apple devices have to transform our day-to-day lives.
Ready to see what you’re capable of with Macs at your disposal? Lease Loop specialises in helping growing businesses leverage cutting-edge Apple technology without the eye-watering downpayment. Get in touch today for a friendly chat about your needs.
Image credit: Julian Chokkattu via Wired.