The Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe magnetically clings to an iPhone. And it has a useful trick: The phone shows the user the location the wallet was last detached, so it’s easier to find if it gets lost.
As a fan of Apple’s Find My application, I decided to try it out.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe review
I recently misplaced my wallet. What made the hunt so frustrating is I had no idea where to start looking. I called the restaurant where I’d used it recently, searched my car and ransacked my house. Any clue about its location would have helped.
The wallet turned up a couple days later, but not until after I had to go on a vacation without it. And not until after I’d ordered an Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe. Like my previous wallet, this magnetically clings to back of my iPhone. But I chose the new model because my iPhone alerts me when the wallet is disconnected, and shows me the location.
However, it falls short of real item tracking.
A wallet that teams up with your iPhone
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The exterior of Apple’s wallet is “specially tanned and finished European leather” with the Apple logo embossed on it. The craftsmanship is impeccable. My unit is without the slightest blemish, including the stitching.
I went for basic black; other color choices include tan, green, light purple and dark purple.
The wallet is quite slim: 0.2 inches thick. It fits neatly on the back of my 6.1-inch iPhone 13. While it adds some bulk, it’s not an irritating amount.
Apple says there’s room for three cards to slide into the pouch. I keep an Apple Card and a driver’s license, and occasionally a folded up bill or two. I’m careful because leather will stretch, but won’t return to its original shape later.
An opening on the bottom of the wallet allows you to easily slide the bottom card out with your thumb.
As its name indicates, the Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe uses the magnets that are part of the MagSafe system to cling to an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 (and surely the iPhone 14, too).
The connection is strong. I’ve used the wallet for a couple of months now and it’s yet to slip off when I didn’t want it to.
iPhone keeps track of Apple’s leather MagSafe wallet … sort of
So there’s not any confusion, Apple’s wallet is not the same as an AirTag. It has some of the tracking tag’s functionality, but not all of it.
Attach the wallet to the iPhone and you’ll get a notification that the iPhone is keeping track of it. And when you detach the wallet, you get a notification that it’s not connected to your phone.
If that happens when you’re not aware of it, you can go into the Find My app to see the last place Apple’s leather wallet was attached to your handset.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
That would have made finding my misplaced wallet far easier. I would have known it was somewhere in my house, and I’d have concentrated my search there. I wouldn’t have wasted time looking elsewhere.
But, again, there are limits. Unlike an AirTag, the Find My app can’t show the current location of the Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe. Just its last known location.
You can get a wallet with a slot for an AirTag, but it won’t be as slim as Apple’s – the AirTag alone is as thick as Apple’s wallet.
Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe final thoughts
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Don’t say “I don’t need this — I never lose my wallet.” I went 37 years without losing mine. But it happened, and it was really damn inconvenient. So think about one that’s hard to lose.
I’ve used iPhone wallets for years, and Apple’s is outstanding: slim, light and functional. It does exactly what it’s designed to do. I wish it could act as an AirTag, but I understand the space limitations.
★★★★☆
Pricing
The Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe costs $59. It’s available from multiple sources.
Buy from: Apple Store
Buy from: Amazon
As you would expect, Apple charges a higher price than similar products from third-party accessory-makers, but Apple’s is the only one that offers the Find My trick.
Apple did not provide Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
