Apple has launched a limited-edition range of carrying straps for iPhones in collaboration with fashion brand Issey Miyake, in a design that one analyst compared to an “insanely expensive sock” at up to £220.
The iPhone Pocket is “born from the idea of creating an additional pocket” and was “inspired by the concept of a piece of cloth”, Apple said.
It comes in shorter and longer versions costing £140 and £220 respectively, both of which resemble have a ribbed sock-like shape with an opening allowing it to be slung over the shoulder.
‘Expensive sock’
Apple has not previously collaborated with Miyake, but co-founder Steve Jobs was famously devoted to the brand and Miyake created a turtleneck shirt design specifically for him, which Jobs turned into a uniform along with blue jeans and white sneakers.
Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs, which features Jobs wearing one of the black shirts on its cover, claims that Jobs owned about 100 identical Miyake turtlenecks, which he wore daily to save time on choosing what to wear.
In 2004, Jobs introduced the iPod Sock, a ribbed case for the iPod that’s visually similar to the iPhone Pocket.
Analyst MG Siegler described the Pocket as an “insanely expensive sock” in his newsletter, and highlighted the transformation of the iPhone into a wearable device.
Accessories boom
Apple introduced a cross-body strap in September along with its new iPhone range, which has seen a significant sales boost over the previous generation, according to Counterpoint.
The smartphone accessory market expanded to about $89.7 billion (£68bn) last year and is projected to reach $161.4bn by 2034, according to research from Global Market Insights.
