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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Apple’s 2025 holiday film A Critter Carol is available to watch on the company’s official YouTube channel. Released on November 27, 2025, the musical commercial follows woodland puppets that discover a lost iPhone 17 Pro and use it to record a song about friendship.
Watch Apple Holiday: “A Critter Carol” Shot On iPhone 17 Pro on YouTube.
Watch the official film
Apple Holiday: “A Critter Carol” Shot On iPhone 17 Pro premiered on November 27, 2025. Although it is now a 2025 holiday commercial rather than a new 2026 release, Apple’s film remains current after being listed as an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Commercial in the company’s July 2026 awards announcement.
Apple’s tagline for the campaign is: “This holiday, remember that friendship is a gift.”
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- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
What happens in “A Critter Carol”?
In the spoiler-light story, a hiker drops an iPhone 17 Pro in a snowy woodland. A group of curious handcrafted animals—including a raccoon, bear, owl, deer and squirrel—finds the phone and gathers around it.
The animals turn the iPhone into a recording device, using it to film a musical performance about friendship. The owner eventually uses his Apple Watch to locate the missing phone through Apple’s device-finding ecosystem. When he retrieves it, he discovers the animals’ recording.
The iPhone is therefore both the commercial’s product and its central story device: it brings the animals together, captures their performance and becomes the object that reconnects the hiker with the scene.
What song is in the Apple holiday ad?
The featured song is “Friends,” originally recorded by Flight of the Conchords, according to Apple’s official video description. Despite the campaign title, it is not an original Apple Christmas song or a traditional carol. “Carol” is the advertising concept; “Friends” is the recording used in the film.
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The woodland characters were made as practical puppets rather than presented as ordinary live-action animals. Production coverage and campaign credits describe a constructed forest set, puppeteers operating the figures from below and digital work used to remove the puppeteers from the finished images.
Rank #2
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
The set was raised by approximately three feet to give the puppeteers room to work underneath it. In behind-the-scenes footage, the operators wore blue clothing that could be digitally removed during post-production.
The campaign’s tactile look extended beyond the puppets. Its typography was created with hand-printed wood blocks, and the wider campaign included short vertical social videos and an animal group selfie displayed in Apple Stores.
The production credits list Mark Molloy as director, with TBWAMedia Arts Lab as the advertising agency and SMUGGLER as the production company. Additional listed credits include Puppets Magic Studio, Work, Untold Studios, Trafik, Barking Owl and Walker. Further production information is available through the British Arrows listing and Chris Ruh’s campaign portfolio.
Does “shot on iPhone” mean it was made only with an iPhone?
No. Apple says the film was shot on the iPhone 17 Pro, but that describes the capture device—not an absence of professional filmmaking support.
The commercial still required puppets, puppeteers, a designed and illuminated set, camera support, sound recording, editing, visual effects, color work and other post-production. Fine-print information associated with the campaign also acknowledges additional hardware and software. The ad demonstrates how the phone can function within a professional production; it does not show that an iPhone can replace an entire film crew or studio workflow.
Rank #3
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
It is also more accurate to describe the film as a hybrid practical-puppetry and animation production than to assign it a narrower label such as conventional stop motion without further qualification.
Which iPhone 17 Pro camera features does it showcase?
Coverage of the campaign identifies several iPhone 17 Pro capabilities, including:
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- 8× zoom
- the 18MP Center Stage front camera
- Dual Capture using the front and rear cameras
- high-end video recording capabilities
Apple’s current U.S. product information also lists a 48MP Pro Fusion camera system, optical zoom options, Camera Control and Dolby Vision video recording up to 4K at 120 frames per second. See Apple’s current iPhone 17 Pro specifications and configurations for details that can vary by market and date.
These are Apple’s product and campaign claims, not the results of an independent camera test. Viewers should not assume that every shot visibly proves a particular camera mode, or that ordinary handheld footage will match a commercial created with professional lighting, set design, puppetry and post-production.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is an Apple Watch required to find a lost iPhone?
No such conclusion should be drawn from the commercial. The Apple Watch is part of the story’s recovery sequence, but the ad does not establish that an Apple Watch is necessary to locate a lost iPhone. The phone’s recovery is a narrative demonstration of Apple’s ecosystem, not a guarantee that every misplaced device will be recovered.
Rank #4
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Why the ad matters in 2026
Apple’s July 8, 2026 Newsroom announcement lists A Critter Carol as an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Commercial. That makes the film Emmy-nominated, not an Emmy winner; the two descriptions should not be confused unless a later official result confirms a win.
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Should you buy an iPhone 17 Pro because of the ad?
The commercial is a creative showcase, not a standalone reason to buy the phone. In the U.S., Apple’s purchase page listed the iPhone 17 Pro from $1,099 for the 256GB model when checked in August 2026, with higher storage options available. Prices, availability, colors, carrier offers and trade-in terms can change.
The Pro model is most relevant to readers who specifically want its camera system, zoom options, front-camera features or advanced video tools. For everyday photography and video, a standard iPhone may be a better-value choice. Apple’s iPhone shop also lists the iPhone 17, iPhone Air and iPhone 17e at lower starting prices, but none is the device featured in the commercial.
The strongest appeal of A Critter Carol is the contrast between modern smartphone technology and tactile handmade storytelling. Its woodland characters make the iPhone feel less like a technical object and more like a shared tool for connection—while the production itself makes clear how much craft remains behind a polished “shot on iPhone” image.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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