Schematics for the new iPhone 14 line have seemingly leaked ahead of its impending launch this fall. That can only mean one thing for us: time to robe these pocket-companions with our handy pickings of iPhone accessories!
Apple Watch
If you own an Apple Watch Series 4 or later, you would know of its iconic Fall Detection. Designed to call emergency services should you suffer from a damaging trip, it ships auto-enabled for those 55-years-old and over.
“If you’re actually falling, it’s a very chaotic motion that we can see from the [watch’s] accelerometer and the gyroscope. During a fall, you see very quick, and just large and messy rotations happening,” says Ron Huang, VP of Sensing and Connectivity at Apple.
In contrast, smacking the ground in a determined arc does little to unsettle your Apple Watch. A “controlled jump”, for instance on a mountain bike, will instead present “highly directional” sensor data “on a single axis”.
So don’t worry about false alarms – it also asks for your confirmation if the watch detects movement. Otherwise, a 60-second lapse will alert 999 and any pre-set emergency contacts. Though it cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, its sensing capability is nonetheless incredible.
Other more general uses of the Apple Watch include silent notifications through wrist-vibrations, as well as making phone calls. But Fall Detection does not necessarily require Bluetooth connectivity to your phone – as long as this multi-functional timepiece is LTE-enabled. Hence why this life-saving assistive tech tops my list of must-have iPhone accessories!
Price: £399+; £499+ (cellular plan inclusive, recommended)
MagSafe Clear Case / Leather Sleeve
It’s an understatement to say iPhones released post-2020 are defined by MagSafe. Apple’s proprietary “magnetically-attached wireless power transfer and accessory-attachment standard” is mind-blowingly practical. First integrated into MacBook Pros in 2006, MagSafe receptacles have finally found their way onto iPhone 12 and above. Thus, iPhone accessories now have an easier time automatically aligning themselves onto the magnetic coils embedded within.
Yet all this swag surely becomes undone as you sheathe your companion with a fall-proof rubber? Not to worry – Apple’s “optically clear polycarbonate” phone case ships with a ring-shaped magnet that cover the phone’s internal counterpart.
Or, if you’re willing to forgo your phone’s naturally sleek colouring, try the leather sleeve instead. On the upside, you’ll be welcomed by a slick colour-matched animation upon sliding on the sleeve. All thanks to the NFC reader and chip implanted within the phone and case respectively.
Price: £49 (Clear); £59 (Leather)
PopSockets PopGrip
Wanna take hassle-free selfies without the split-second blurs? Or simply carry your phone around without having to clench at its rectangular sides? Rest assured, you’re unlikely to get carpal tunnel syndrome from such activities (unless of course you suffer from the debilitating disease known as Selfitis, you sorry egomaniac).
While phone case manufacturers vie for their spot on iPhone accessories search results, PopSockets is a parallel mile ahead. These nifty, twisty, accordion-like, MagSafe-compatible and detachable blobs fit snugly in between your fingers, as the following video illustrates:
What if your iPhone doesn’t support MagSafe? No worries, there are adhesive alternatives available for those who prefer not to jump the gun in the mobile rat race.
Price: £11.99; £29.99 (MagSafe-compatible)
ESR HaloLock Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Mount
What sets ESR Gear’s HaloLock mount apart from its rivals lies in the power of its unassuming latch. User reviews point out competing products tend to loosen up and down due to lacking this crucial appendage, shown below:
Furthermore, the mount-to-cigarette-socket cabling isn’t so long as to clutter your car’s radio and vent system. Overall a very nice clip-on charger if you frequently drive around, albeit a little spenny.
Price: £36.89
Belkin Boost Charge 3-in-1 Wireless Charger
Despite its eye-watering tag, this multi-chargeable dock has received wave after wave of positive reviews. Proud to boast its official third-party partnership status, the consumer electronics firm has previously unveiled Apple Homekit-compatible smart-home automation products.
iPhone hangs from the left, smart watch hangs from the right, and airpods sits at the centre, thereby forming the ultimate trinity of iPhone accessories.
Perfect for nightstands, this MagSafe-enabled charger can double as a stylish alarm clock for modernists.
Price: £139.95
Costly iPhone accessories
Today we skimmed over trending iPhone accessories, from handy wearables to wacky phone mounts. But they can be a little pricey, even for the most devout Apple fanatics among our audience.
So stay tuned for our next dossier on (cheaper, better!?) Android add-ons!
[Disclaimer: The author has made every attempt to offer impartial reviews on overpriced Apple products.]
