Apple’s iPad Pro Demo Deemed ‘Sexist’ For Photoshopping Smile Onto Woman’s Face

Apple’s iPad Pro was just one of the many hot gadgets that took center stage at the Apple Event on Wednesday, September 9. Adobe’s Photshop Fix demo during the iPad Pro launch is being slammed as “sexist” after a rep attempted to fix a model’s straight-face expression, otherwise known as “resting b**ch face.”

Apple’s major unveiling included the new iPad Pro. The demonstration revealed the size and processing power of the “monster-sized” tablet. They also explained what can be done on the iPad Pro. For the first time ever, users can an Adobe Photoshop app to alter their images on the tablet.

During the iPad Pro demonstration, Apple even had Adobe’s director of design for mobile apps, Eric Snowden, use Photoshop to digitally alter a model’s serious face for a magazine spread. That touching up included changing her facial features to “just give her a little bit more of a smile.” The fact that the audience even roared and applauded over the rep’s impressive Photoshopping skills only made matters worse.

Here’s an animated GIF of the iPad Pro demonstration.

Yeah, make that woman smile, Apple pic.twitter.com/WlsNpHa9qC

— Damon Beres (@dlberes) September 9, 2015

That caused some Apple fans to exclaim their outrage on Twitter during the live Apple Event. Some slammed Apple’s iPad Pro demonstration “sexist,” while others claimed that Adobe was acting a bit “clueless.”

Adobe’s Vice President of Products and Community, Scott Belsky, took to Twitter to comment about the controversial iPad Pro demonstration.

“I know team never meant for Photoshop demo to be offensive. #1 use of retouch apps is for selfies, intention was to show off the tech.”

“Watching live, got excited seeing people like feature and retweeted. But I agree, don’t like the ‘make someone smile’ context. At all.”

Contributor Neil Bennett of Digital Arts magazine claims that Apple’s Photoshop Fix demo at the iPad Pro launch was inappropriate and dumb, but not sexist.

“So why was it dumb? Because context matters. If Adobe had done this demo at their Max conference next month, no one would have been bothered (except perhaps to say, it’s nice to see Photoshop’s Liquify tool being mixed with facial recognition tool on an iPad, can we have Photoshop’s other 100 tools please too).”

“But this wasn’t done to a room of creative industry types, it was done on stage to the wider public. With an app called Photoshop Fix. And that’s what seemed to get most people. That making the model smile was a ‘fix’ that made it a ‘better’ photo empirically, rather than a ‘fix’ that it made it ‘better’ in the sense of ‘more in line with some imaginary brief.'”

Apple has previously exclaimed that they wanted to include more diversity when it comes to their workforce and their presentations. The tech giant did just that by having three women present new products on stage. That’s more women than they had at past Apple Events.

What are your thoughts on the Adobe Photofix demo during the iPad Pro launch? Do you think it was really sexist or just inappropriate? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

[Image: Stephen Lam/Getty Images]