The arrival of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models were accompanied by the reinvention and return of MagSafe, and it became an instant hit! There is a great sense of satisfaction, in my opinion, to have things just stick to your phone. Be it a pair of earphones (maybe that’ll be the next generation of AirPods) or have your phone just conveniently stick to a charging pad – it’s almost like magic! The reintroduction of the MagSafe led to a whole new world of accessories being unleashed! Designers and creatives were racing to create a whole range of products for the repurposed MagSafe. And we’ve been loving every bit of it! From a MagSafe camera lens concept that turns your iPhone 13 into a professional mirrorless camera to a Gameboy-inspired MagSafe power bank – there’s a MagSafe accessory out there for your every need. And, we’ve curated a bunch of products that we truly believe are worth buying and investing in. This army of accessories will truly amp up your Apple experience!
1. The G4 Charger
The G4 charger is a wonderful throwback accessory that reminds me of that Elago charger that turned the Apple Watch into the Macintosh. Its design, however, doesn’t seem to have aged the way the Macintosh has. Even by today’s standards, the iMac G4 is an incredibly eye-catching device that you’re sure to be amazed by. The charger condenses that beauty down into a small device that is equally good at drawing your attention to the iPhone that sits on it.
Why is it noteworthy?
The iMac G4, with its debut in 2002, was truly a design icon in that it was nothing like anything else that existed in its time. While the world still struggled with boxy plastic computers, the G4 had this intensely beautiful organic design accentuated with chrome details. It hovered above the rest, thanks to its adjustable stand, paving the way for future iMacs which still to this day retain the detail to maintain the right eye level. Eponymously named the G4, this quirky little charger pays a hat-tip to its 20-year-old predecessor. It sports the same dome-shaped base and chrome-plated stand upon which sits the MagSafe wireless charging element that lets you snap your iPhone to it. Once the iPhone comfortably nestles in place, it transforms almost into a miniature computer, hovering above the ground in a way that makes its display easy to view as well as to use, by allowing you to tap and swipe away!
What we like
- The dual joint system on the back of the charger lets you angle and position your phone however you please
- A nifty light within its domed front lights up when your phone begins charging
What we dislike
- It isn’t available yet!
2. SCIO
Taking inspiration from Sony’s QX10 and QX100 modular camera lenses, SCIO is a mirrorless lens that simply attaches to your iPhone via MagSafe. Snap it on and your smartphone is now a professional shooter capable of much more realistic portrait shots and telephoto images.
Why is it noteworthy?
With a much larger lens and sensor, SCIO’s imaging system is capable of capturing much more light than the iPhone 13’s multiple lenses. This allows for better photos, more detail, higher-resolution low-light shots, and much more accurate bokeh. SCIO’s camera lens uses your iPhone’s display as a viewfinder, and can potentially pull battery power from the iPhone via reverse charging, so you don’t need to separately charge the camera lens.
What we like
- The lens even has a tripod mount, bringing traditional and computational camera experiences even closer
What we dislike
3. The HiRise 3
Twelve South’s new HiRise 3 stands out not just because of how tall it is but because of how little space it takes up to charge an iPhone and two of its friends.
Why is it noteworthy?
True to its name, the HiRise 3 takes inspiration from tall buildings that take advantage of vertical space where horizontal space is scarce. It maximizes each and every surface of the vertically-oriented stand, like using the base as a charging pad for compatible AirPods cases. In fact, that base can even be used to charge Android phones capable of wireless charging. And despite how many devices it can hold at the same time, it manages to keep a clean, minimalist appearance that looks beautiful without calling too much attention to itself.
What we like
- It manages to hold your iPhone hanging from a height
- Charges multiple devices in one go
What we dislike
4. MagStick
Meet MagStick – a selfie-stick that also doubles as a tripod with a feature that sets it apart from the rest. With a MagSafe mount, MagStick allows you to instantly snap your iPhone in place and get shooting.
Why is it noteworthy?
When used as a selfie stick, the MagStick extends a whopping 63.5 inches, and in its tripod mode, MagStick allows you to use your iPhone like you would a professional camera. All it takes is two snaps – firstly for the iPhone to snap into place, and secondly for you to snap the shutter button!
What we like
- The telescopic tripod/selfies-stick stretches to well over 5 feet in length
- The MagStick’s 3-axis adjustment system lets you rotate, tilt, and swivel your phone to orient it at just the right angle
What we dislike
5. The MAG.L MagSafe Powerbank
There are plenty of MagSafe-compatible products, but there are few power banks available. We may have seen a few already but nothing like this MAG.L MagSafe Powerbank with its 10000mAh capacity. Introduced by Neo Bie and Leigui Lui for Stylepie, this thing aims to improve the wireless charging and power bank experience for anyone.
Why is it noteworthy?
The MAG.L MagSafe Powerbank will remind you of an old Gameboy for its shape and design. It features the usual four operation buttons: SELECT, START, A, B, and a d-pad (directional pad). The lower part of the yellow power bank has a cover that slides to work as the stand of the power bank. There is also an LCD screen that shows basic information like date, time, battery level, or charging status.
What we like
- Has a fun Gameboy-inspired aesthetic
What we dislike
6. The Rmour Candy Corner Protectors
Rmour’s candy-inspired corner protectors give your iPhone an understated bling upgrade while protecting the most vulnerable areas of your gadget. The best part? They don’t interfere with your iPhone’s MagSafe or wireless charging abilities.
Why is it noteworthy?
Designed to be protective jewelry for your iPhone, the Rmour Candy Corner Protectors come made from 925 silver with a decorative enamel inlay to match your iPhone’s color. Made to fit comfortably on iPhone 12 and newer models, the Rmour Candy Corner Protectors attach to the 4 corners of your iPhone using a strong-yet-non-destructive adhesive tape that keeps them firmly in place. When attached, the corner protectors create a 1mm lip around your iPhone, safeguarding the edges, back, camera bump, and screen from damage if you drop your iPhone on any flat surface.
What we like
- Serves as functional jewelry for your iPhone
What we dislike
7. The Fjorden
YouTuber Marques Brownlee, who shoots all his videos in 8K on ridiculously expensive RED cameras, alludes to the fact that “the best camera is the one you have on you”, and that’s almost always your smartphone camera. Your smartphone camera’s image processing engine is arguably powerful enough to click photos as well as a DSLR, and the only thing really missing is precision and that hands-on experience… that’s where the Fjorden comes in.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Fjorden turns your iPhone into a hybrid DSLR. It physically snaps onto the back of your iPhone, giving you analog camera controls including a two-stage shutter button, a jog dial, a zoom slider, and even an extra multi-function button you can use to do stuff like trigger the flash. The overall form is comfortably tactile and grippy (and comes with the same texture found on cameras) and orients the buttons in a way that’s intuitive and easy to use (so you don’t have to sprain your thumb to reach the shutter button while holding your phone with the same hand). Moreover, the actual physical buttons allow you to use the camera with gloves on, an understated-yet-impressive upgrade to the iPhone camera experience).
What we like
- Portable and sleek
- Has its own camera app
What we dislike
8. The MagSnap Wallet
Want more out of your wallet? Well, the MagSnap Wallet’s magnetic design makes it modular too, allowing you to easily attach extra modules that let your wallet hold more cards, cash, and even EDC tools. The MagSnap Wallet has the incredible advantage of being sleek when you want, and modular/accommodating when you need it. It also docks on the back of your phone for easy carrying, and thanks to its all-metal design, it’s RFID-blocking too – a feature that Apple’s own MagSafe wallet still lacks.
Why is it noteworthy?
OhSnap is quick to mention that the MagSnap Wallet isn’t MagSafe compatible (that would mean reorienting the MagSnap Wallet’s magnets to make the wallet thicker). Instead, the MagSnap Wallet comes either with a magnet-enabled iPhone case or an adhesive MagSnap plate that can attach to practically any phone. “Our magnet array and locking pin are much stronger than MagSafe”, says the designers at OhSnap, mentioning that while Apple’s own MagSafe wallets tend to slide around when mounted on the phone, the MagSnap Wallet stays firmly put. “Our approach may be slightly less streamlined than Apple’s, but our magnetic connections are stronger, and our products are more modular and way more functional.”
What we like
- Has the ability to snap on extra modules that give the wallet a storage upgrade
- It is digitally secure – thanks to its RFID-blocking abilities
What we dislike
- Their approach is slightly less streamlined than Apple’s, which everyone may not agree with
9. The MagEZ Case 2
Determined to make some of the best Apple accessories your gadgets could ever wish for, PITAKA’s back with an aramid fiber iPhone case that protects your smartphone without sacrificing sleekness. The Fusion Weaving MagEZ Case 2 is available for all iPhone 13 makes and comes constructed from Aramid fibers (which are as tough as carbon fibers, but more flexible too) with an overall thickness of 0.055 inches or a mere 1.4 millimeters.
Why is it noteworthy?
The case wraps right around your phone, with cutouts that let you access the buttons and the ports, as well as a camera cutout with a protective lip to prevent your iPhone’s camera from any physical impact. Moreover, the Fusion Weaving MagEZ Case 2 is also MagSafe compatible and works with virtually all of PITAKA’s own MagEZ 2.0 accessories, from the MagEZ Slider to the wireless charging car mount MagEZ Car Mount Pro, and even the MagEZ Wallet 2.
What we like
- The criss-cross black pattern provides a nice visual element
- The MagEZ Case 2 comes with PITAKA’s proprietary Fusion Weaving technology – a composite aramid fiber material that has an incredibly high strength-to-weight ratio
What we dislike
10. The Strap Anywhere mount
Designed to let you secure your iPhone to any handle, pipe, railing, bar, or even your wrist, the Strap Anywhere uses Apple’s MagSafe feature to secure your iPhone so your hands are unencumbered.
Why is it noteworthy?
The idea, Moment’s team says, was to allow users to attach their iPhones to indoor fitness equipment like a Peloton bike, squat rack, treadmill, elliptical, etc. The strap’s silicone construction provides a friction grip and is even sturdy enough to double as a stand for your iPhone, letting you prop it up at an angle on your desk or yoga mat.
What we like
- The Strap Anywhere mount works directly with the iPhone as well as with MagSafe cases for the iPhone
- Made from sweat-resistant materials
