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Since the iPhone 12, Apple has released a new type of accessory based on MagSafe. Behind this odd name hides a magnet in the rear panel of your phone that helps accessories snap onto it more securely.
An ineffective case and wallet 💩
I tested the MagSafe leather case and the wallet, and here’s why I’m disappointed 😞.
The case itself is pretty well finished — I’ve never had one before so I won’t comment on its longevity. The metal buttons give the product a genuine feeling of quality. The interior is lined with a soft material that’s a nice change from the hard lining on some cases.
On an iPhone 12 Pro Max, the case adds even more thickness to an already oversized phone, which makes one-handed use even harder. I’ll admit I’m a fan of Peel cases — not so much for their build quality, but because the maker understood that a case takes away from an iPhone and that the thinner it is the better, at least in terms of grip ✋. On top of adding thickness to the iPhone, the case is also relatively heavy.
Let’s talk about what MagSafe actually brings to the table. Apple doesn’t hide the effects that using MagSafe wireless charging can have on the case itself. Indeed, over time the ring from the magnet can appear on the case itself! Surprising, right? In any case, it’s surprising that this kind of detail from Apple isn’t addressed one way or another — you’re buying a product for over €60 that’s going to get marked up over time.
A cute little detail I love: when you fit your iPhone into the case, a small animation in the colour of the case appears on the screen 🥰.
As for the wallet, I couldn’t find a use for it. Yes, it does improve the grip on the back of the phone with its little bump. But I can’t see the point of adding a wallet to the back of my iPhone. When I leave the house I need to remember to attach it, when I get in the car I need to remember to remove it or it won’t sit on the mount. So at that point I end up with the wallet in my pocket like a regular wallet. When I get home I don’t keep the wallet on the phone so I set it down, risking forgetting it when I leave… No, I don’t know about you, but I haven’t found any use for it. 🤷♂️ Worth noting that the wallet magneted directly to the back of an iPhone without a case will tend to slide around on the glass back…
For a product at €65, it really ought to serve some purpose!
A ☝️ car mount 🚙 that doesn’t charge ⚡️
The clever idea behind the Belkin charger is to use the magnet to your advantage to snap your iPhone onto the mount. You no longer need a clamp that devours 🍽 your phone 📞, it’s a real time-saver and the convenience makes it an essential accessory — and yet…
Yes, on paper this mount is great — but look a little closer and it doesn’t support charging… But why stop at a simple magnet 🧲 when adding wireless charging would have changed everything? I’m sad to see something with such potential stop halfway there.
For the record, I ordered this mount naively assuming wireless charging was built in. It was not. My mistake 😢.
A bright future, but it’s a bit too soon
I think MagSafe has a bright future ahead, but its launch feels a little rushed — manufacturers didn’t have enough time to put out finished accessories. Probably needs another year, and I think the Android world will need to get on board too in order to create a complete ecosystem at prices that are a little less Apple… 🏷
For now, Apple has completely missed the mark with its own accessories — they’re either too expensive , or completely poorly thought out: the charger that sticks to the iPhone and requires two hands to pull off its base — what a regression.
