POWER UP: TAKE YOUR DEVICES FURTHER WITH ACCESSORIES

TAKE YOUR DEVICES FURTHER WITH ACCESSORIES

Our iPhones and Apple Watches have come a long way over the past ten years, and today’s devices challenge the performance of topend PCs and consoles. But whilst Apple offers a range of innovative accessories like AirTags, charging pads, and MagSafe battery packs, it’s worth turning to third-party accessory makers to find unique solutions that could make your devices even smarter.

TRANSFORMING YOUR APPLE WATCH

Although Apple Watch is the world’s most popular watch, outselling the entire Swiss watch industry, the Cupertino company often comes into criticism in regards to the customization of the wearable, with many preferring the more traditional aesthetics of the Samsung Galaxy Watch, as an example. Indeed, the square watch face has suffered a raft of criticism over the years, so much so that the company has experimented with a round face - even submitting a patent a couple of years ago to futureproof its design. Still, even with its square face, the Apple Watch is one of the most customizable watches in the world, with users able to quickly switch out bands to match their outfit or support a good like LGBTQ+ pride - and flag-inspired designs are ideal for pledging allegiance to a region during the upcoming Olympics. We’re not going to run into the ins and outs of different watch strap designs today, as there are simply too many to mention, but it’s worth looking outside of Apple.com for designs from brands like Nomad, which offers utilitarian designs that are unique in the sense that they are made from leather, and will age and

change depending on how you use them, and CaseStation, which allows you to build a customized Apple Watch band with your preferred colors or images. Simply put, if you’ve got the imagination to put together something unique and creative, there are endless ways to change the look of your watch.

Whether you’re a YouTuber or just like to record videos to immortalize a special day, the Wristcam for Apple Watch - priced at $300 in the United States - is certainly something to consider. The band will add an 8-megapixel camera to the strap of your Apple Watch, which can be used to shoot more than 2,000 photos or up to an hour of video content, and it connects to your iPhone over Bluetooth or WiFi. Granted, it’s bulky and certainly not for everyone, but it’ll have some use cases and could allow you to shoot some interesting content. If you’re the sort of person who likes to explore and worries about scratching or damaging their Apple Watch, the Spigen Rugged Armor Pro case for Apple Watch is another accessory to add to your basket; it’s designed for all 44mm models and offers allround scratch protection by covering the entire case of your Apple Watch while leaving the display and Digital Crown accessible. It offers a raised bezel that helps to protect the screen from knocks and scrapes, and the best part is that it works with the Apple Watch wireless charger, so you won’t need to remove it from its case whenever you’re charging. It’s available in black, grey, and green, and it has some great reviews on YouTube.

If you’re the proud owner of multiple timepieces, then the WOLF Smart Watch

Storage Box is a great item to add to your wishlist. It might look like a regular storage box for your watches, but it sports an attractive transparent lid and offers room for five watches, and a compartment to hold straps. The best part about this case, however, is that it allows you to install an Apple Watch charger, so you can lay down your Apple Watch across the width of the box, ensuring it’s fully charged and ready to be worn again. This is ideal if you’re the sort of person who loves to wear their Apple Watch during the day to monitor your steps and activity, and swap to a traditional timepiece on an evening, like a Rolex watch.

iPHONE ACCESSORIES YOU NEED TO TRY

Our iPhones are much more than phones nowadays - they’re a portal to our social lives, our jobs, and allow us to bank, shop, and organize on the go. As such, we’re spending more and more time using them. According to Apple’s US users’ screen time statistics, the company reported that Gen X spends 169 minutes on their phone per day and Baby Boomers spend 136 minutes - but the pandemic has no doubt had a permanent impact on that data. COVID-19 has also made us conscious of hygiene, and the Cleanstation from Simple Human will no doubt be a top seller this year. The $200 box is designed for cleaning your iPhone and other devices just pop your iPhone in the box, and it’ll use UV-C sanitizer to remove 99.9% of germs and bacteria in just 30 seconds. The Pivo, on the other hand, priced at $139 in the United States, serves as a rotating stand for the iPhone, so you can film yourself and get creative

with content, with auto screen tracking. PopSockets are also worth an honorable mention - although they’re controversial, they’re popular amongst some users as it offers a better grip on your phone and allows you to stand your phone when you’re out and about, without having to touch any surfaces.

Felix Gray has created a pair of glasses that feature a blue light filter, designed to make your iPhone easier on the eyes, whilst Belkin has developed a charging pad that’s capable of charging your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time. Apple hoped to develop its own technology, called the AirPower, but the company struggled. Its engineers failed to make the Apple Watch’s proprietary wireless charging standard compatible with the Qi standard used in iPhones and AirPods, and the firm’s choice of using lots of small coils to produce the electromagnetic induction to charge the device ultimately led to overheating. Belkin’s solution is a little less glamorous than the model Apple would have produced, but it serves its purpose and is great if you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves Apple products but struggles to charge.

Apple introduced Apple Arcade last year, offering hundreds of quality, ad-free, monetization-free games for just $4.99 per month. Alongside the release, the firm supported wireless gaming controllers for the first time, and the SteelSeries Nimbus+, which is compatible with iPhone and Apple TV, is one to consider. It was designed just for Apple devices, making playing games like What the Golf, Sneaky Sasquatch, and LEGO Brawls

more enjoyable - the best part is that it’s crossplatform and works on your iPad and Apple TV, so you can start playing on your phone and pick up where you left off later. If you’re a serial gamer, then you might prefer to use your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X controller on your iOS devices - both are compatible with iPads, iPhones, and any Android devices you might have.

Professionals went wild when Apple introduced the iPad Pro with a USB-C port, as it meant that they could use their iOS device as a professional workstation. Although iCloud is great for storing files, it’s still great to connect to USB-C devices like USB sticks, external hard drives, and more, and the good news is that you can actually do the same on your iPhone. Although many have been crying out for Apple to retire Lightning and transition to USB-C on the iPhone, there’s more chance of the company removing the Lightning port altogether and forcing wireless charging. In the meantime, depend on the SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive 64GB for iPhone - it has a regular USB-A end that will fit in most laptops and a lightning end that fits all iPhones so you can offload files and transfer them back and forth. It’s great for extra photo and video storage, allowing you to use your iPhone more professionally at work.

We’ve barely scratched the surface on the number of incredible accessories, peripherals, and add-ons that can make your iPhone and Apple Watch more powerful.

Shop around, experiment with new ideas, and embrace the Made for iPhone and Made for Apple Watch ranges that elevate your experience, help you get more done, and ensure you have fun!