Apple’s really leaning into its assertion that there are normal people who want to wear their phone on their body as a fashion accessory all by itself. First, with attachment points for crossbody straps on its first-party iPhone 17 cases, and now with the iPhone Pocket, a stretchy, knitted phone sack which Apple is calling “a beautiful way to wear and carry iPhone.”
The new strap is designed by Miyake Design Studio, a studio started by Japanese designer Issey Miyake, who, as MacStories’ John Voorhees notes, is credited with designing the black turtleneck sweater Steve Jobs so famously wore. And as he and others have pointed out, it’s also pretty reminiscent of the $29 iPod Sock, which was a fun, silly product that Jobs smirkingly introduced back in 2004. (It also reminds me of those colorful cases for the iPhone 5c, which I genuinely liked.)
Apple’s announcement is so much more serious than Jobs was then; according to it, the iPhone Pocket was inspired by “a piece of cloth,” or the “concept” of one, anyway. The company labors to point out that this “understated design fully encloses iPhone,” and that, when stretched, it “subtly reveals its contents and allows users to peek at their iPhone display.” You know, like some sort of precious bauble you’ve been charged with keeping secret and keeping safe, but that you can’t help but sneak peeks at, compelled by a growing obsession.
Apple quotes Miyake Design Studio director Yoshiyuki Miyamae as saying the iPhone Pocket is meant to be “universal in aesthetic and versatile in use,” so I guess it’ll fit everything from the smaller iPhone 17 and 17 Pro to the wider, taller iPhone Air to the gargantuan iPhone 17 Pro Max. I’m sure you could slip anything from a Pixel 10 to a Galaxy Z Fold 7 into the iPhone Pocket. A New Nintendo 3DS XL, too, I bet.
Look, I’ve heard the arguments for wearing your smartphone. That it keeps you from dropping the phone, or that it makes it easier to get to when you need it. It’s not for me, but hey, whatever works for you. I’m not sure the iPhone Pocket does either of those things, but I’m very clearly not the target demographic for this product. I can’t wait to see one in real life.
The iPhone Pocket comes as either a short strap version in eight colors, or as a long-strap version in three colors. Oh, and it costs $150 or $230, depending on strap length.
Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom’s Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn’t be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.
