One of the benefits of owning an iPhone is that since it’s so popular, there is a wide range of accessories available for it. Every respectable case maker has a lineup ready for the new iPhones before they’re even announced. This year, though, Apple decided to change things up a bit and introduced MagSafe for iPhones. Unlike the old MagSafe, which was used to protect your laptop from getting yanked to its doom by the charging cable, the new iteration serves a dual purpose.
First, to help better align wireless chargers for maximum efficiency. People rarely put their phones in a way that aligns the charging coils, mostly because they don’t know exactly where they are. With the new built-in magnets, the phone(or charger) will snap into place.
Second, the magnets allow you to snap all sorts of accessories to your phone that have nothing to do with charging. From cases to credit-card holders, Apple is opening the door to a whole new ecosystem of accessories.
That ecosystem is still young and small since it seems that third-party manufacturers weren’t aware of the addition of MagSafe to the new iPhones, but it’s bound to become larger as time goes on and people start receiving their iPhone 12s.
MagSafe Charger
Of course, we start with the MagSafe charger. It’s pretty straightforward, you put your iPhone on it and it starts charging. It also works with the new cases, so there’s no need to remove them before charging. This charger, unsurprisingly, comes without a power adapter, so you’ll need one with a USB Type-C port.
iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe
Next up, we have another brand-new accessory, the magnetic iPhone leather wallet. Yes, wallet cases have existed since forever, but this is a more minimalist twist thanks to MagSafe. The Leather Wallet is literally a one-slot leather pouch that sticks to the back of your iPhone 12. If you like to keep pocket bulk to a minimum, this is a great solution. You’ll probably be able to stick a driver’s license in there as well as a credit card, so you can leave your wallet behind when going to the gym for example.
There’s only one size but you can get the iPhone Leather Wallet in four colors:
- Baltic Blue
- California Poppy
- Saddle Brown
- Black
iPhone 12 Silicone Case with MagSafe
Silicone cases are among the most popular iPhone cases and now they return with MagSafe compatibility in hand. The reason cases have MagSafe as well is likely because the new flat-edge iPhone 12 design doesn’t allow for cases to grip the phones properly. Now, the Silicone Case with MagSafe can be easily snapped to an iPhone but also quickly removed if needed.
The iPhone 12 Silicone cases come in 8 colors:
- Plum
- Deep Navy
- Kumquat
- Cyprus Green
- Pink Citrus
- White
- Black
- Product RED
iPhone 12 Clear Case with MagSafe
Clear Case on the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Max
The Clear Case this year isn’t really fully clear, which some people might dislike. But for the MagSafe to work, you need something for the magnets to stick to, so now the clear cases have a metal ring embedded in them. There’s also an additional pill-shaped element, perhaps to help with orientation if other accessories are attached to the phones through the case. Either way, the new cases aren’t as clean-looking as before but that’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make for convenience’s sake.
iPhone 12 OtterBox Figura Series Case with MagSafe
The four colors of the OtterBox Figura Series
OtterBox seems to be the lucky third-party manufacturer that managed to ink a deal with Apple for the first batch of non-Apple MagSafe cases. These cases come in four “colors”, although each is a mix of several colors. Each is unique and has a very artsy vibe, giving your iPhone 12 not only protection but a cool fresh look as well. The downside is, that since they’re offered on Apple’s official website, they might become quite popular, which will take away from the uniqueness of the design. Still, if the single-color cases are too boring for you, these cases are a great alternative.
iPhone 12 OtterBox Aneu Series Case with MagSafe
While at first glance these cases might look as simple as Apple’s Silicone cases, they’re actually a bit more interesting. Each OtterBox Aneu Series case is a combination of two colors, one for the back and another for the sides. That might be a small difference, but it’s enough to make them stand out. The cases are slim but offer good grip and there’s a raised border around the camera cutout that protects the lenses when you put your phone down on a hard surface.
The OtterBox Aneu Series Cases come in four colors:
What MagSafe accessories can you expect in the future?
As you can see, the selection of MagSafe accessories is quite sparse at the moment. But as the ecosystem grows, what other accessories should we be looking for?
MagSafe car mounts
Car mounts are the most obvious choice. Usually, car mounts either have a clamp that holds your phone or you have to use a special case with a metal plate in it to hold your phone to the magnetic car mount. Now, with magnets embedded in the iPhone itself, we should see some pretty minimalist car mounts which will be super convenient to use with your iPhone 12.
MagSafe PopSockets
We’re not sure exactly how strong the magnets in the iPhones are but they might be strong enough to hold a PopSocket. That would be pretty convenient since you’ll be able to remove it pretty easily if you don’t want it in certain situations. But then again, would you trust your phone hanging on magnets alone? We might find out soon enough.
MagSafe controllers
Apple’s new chips are excellent for mobile gaming but for the ultimate experience, you need a good controller. With MagSafe, you’ll be able to easily snap any iPhone 12 to the controller. This should lead to more compact designs as well.
MagSafe desk organizers
Imagine a wireless charger/desk organizer that instead of taking space on your desk is mounted flat against the wall and your iPhone hangs on it as if floating and charges at the same time! We’re almost guaranteed to see something of the sort in the foreseeable future. Any incoming notifications will be clearly visible, adding another point to the convenience column.
MagSafe backplates
A lot of people don’t like using cases because they add bulk to their phone or hide its nice design. But with the new iPhones, you can have a super-thin plate with a unique design on it and it will stick to the back like a second skin, basically allowing you to change the phone’s color at will. Of course, more “sophisticated” backplates will have metal only where the magnets are to allow for wireless charging, but some might be fully metal for extra durability. In this scenario, having the camera bump will actually be a benefit since it will make sure the backplate doesn’t move around or slide off easily.
MagSafe power banks
We’ve all seen people that hold their phone and a power bank that’s charging it at the same time. Apple already has cases with batteries in them, but with MagSafe in place, you can have a nice, slim power bank that sticks to your iPhone 12 and charges it wirelessly. Again, super convenient.
Those are just some of the things MagSafe can be used for but we’re sure there are plenty of other applications that will become apparent in the next months and years. We’re pretty sure the new MagSafe standard is here to stay, so any accessory you get will be compatible with the next few generations of iPhones as well.
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