At any regular worth, the brand new iPhone Pocket is foolish. At $230, it’s foolish and pretentious. Apple costs a hefty charge for an unholy union between a shawl and a sock.
It’s simple to mock, and the web did loads of that Tuesday after Apple took the wraps off its newest iPhone accent. However the iPhone Pocket drew fast followers, as nicely. In actual fact, Vogue stated the fashion-forward iPhone sack “might simply be the season’s must-have accent.”
The $230 iPhone Pocket no person requested for
Excellent news — you will be freed from the comfort of retaining your iPhone in your pants. Now there’s iPhone Pocket, an additional place to carry the handset. There are two variations: one that you just carry in your wrist ($149.95) and an extended variant to be worn across the neck ($229.95). It has a 3D-knitted building and is available in a variety of colours.
iPhone Pocket is a collaboration between Apple and Miyake Design Studio, which was based by the Japanese dressmaker Issey Miyake.
“The design of iPhone Pocket speaks to the bond between iPhone and its consumer, whereas retaining in thoughts that an Apple product is designed to be common in aesthetic and versatile in use,” stated Yoshiyuki Miyamae, design director of Miyake Design Studio, in Apple’s press launch saying the accent. “iPhone Pocket explores the idea of ‘the enjoyment of carrying iPhone in your personal approach.’”
A sock with straps
Photograph: Apple
A lot of the web criticism for the brand new product will be summed up in a Reddit publish: “‘I used to be simply considering I ought to get a sock for my iPhone.’ Mentioned nobody ever.”
The value is available in for loads of condemnation, too.
“$150 for a chunk of fabric to place your telephone in? To cite Stanley from The Workplace: “Are you out of your rattling thoughts?” What a ridiculous worth. Unhappy factor is individuals will nonetheless purchase this,” stated one Reddit publish.
And naturally, there’s this:
iPhone Pocket appears to be like nice pic.twitter.com/uTugcJIjvC
— Mike Rundle (@flyosity) November 11, 2025
Steve Jobs would love the iPhone Pocket
Not one of the criticism of the iPhone Pocket higher embrace the phrase, “Steve Jobs wouldn’t have executed this.” As a result of he completely would have.
The late Apple co-founder admired Miyake’s design philosophy and approached him within the early Eighties after seeing how Sony used uniforms to construct a way of identification. Whereas Jobs couldn’t get Apple workers to undertake a company-wide outfit, he personally embraced Miyake’s work. His signature black turtlenecks had been created particularly for him by the Japanese designer.
That’s the kind of individual Jobs was: pretentious. When he needed a easy look, he didn’t go to Goal and purchase a bunch of black shirts. No, he had a world-renowned clothes designer make him some that value about $300 every in at this time’s {dollars}. Whether or not you assume that’s good or ridiculous says lots about whether or not you’re probably to purchase an iPhone Pocket.
For those who nonetheless doubt that Steve Jobs would love this new accent, you would possibly want a reminder that he was CEO of Apple when it launched the iPod Sock.
iPod Socks walked so iPhone Pocket might run. pic.twitter.com/qvw3U47dP3
— Primary Apple Man (@BasicAppleGuy) November 11, 2025
For fashion-forward iPhone followers
Common Apple customers can say what they need, however they don’t seem to be the goal marketplace for this product. iPhone Pocket is for the fashion-conscious, particularly in Asia.
As famous, Vogue known as it “a landmark collaboration between Apple and Issey Miyake that might simply be the season’s must-have accent.”
Additionally, a lot of the criticism is popping out of the USA. In Japan, the Miyake Design Studio has devoted followers, and the product will probably discover loads of clients there. It might grow to be fashionable in China, too, the place crossbody telephone carriers are very a lot in model.
Notice the cities the place the iPhone Pocket will probably be on show in Apple Shops. The quick listing contains Tokyo and Hong Kong, but in addition Paris and Milan. The one U.S. metropolis is New York. These are all locations the place excessive style is prized.
Loads of People discover the iPhone Pocket pretentious, and actually see no want for a $230 alternative for the pants pocket. However these with the cash to spend on a Miyake creation are more likely to have a really completely different opinion.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and utilizing it for for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Traditional II (which he nonetheless has), however now he makes use of a 13-inch iPad Professional as his major laptop. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, in addition to different websites.