It was only yesterday that I was slating Apple‘s new crossbody iPhone strap, calling it the style sin of the century, but now I fear I must eat my metaphorical hat. In tandem with the release of the iPhone 17, Apple has dropped a lanyard-cum-kickstand case that I surprisingly don’t hate – in fact, (although it pains me to say) I quite like it.
While the iPhone 17 is thinner, sexier and likely to top our list as the best iPhone for photography, I’ve been fixated on how the new drop might reinvent the wheel for accessories. With the Beats iPhone 17 Pro Kickstand Case going for $59 at Apple, it’s sadly subject to the brand’s premium prices, but the innovative design has piqued my interest (although perhaps not enough to buy a brand-new iPhone 17).
The kickstand case’s main appeal is obviously its transforming strap – if you’re not too fussed on this extra, I’d save your pennies and opt for a bog standard case.
Apple’s not the first to drop a custom phone strap – Nothing’s $25 CMF Phone Lanyard is more than half the price. If you’re not an Apple purist, it’s a far more budget-friendly (and I dare say, more stylish) option.