News: 0180047360

  ARM Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life (Terry Pratchett, Jingo)

Apple's $230 iPhone Sock (theverge.com)

(Tuesday November 11, 2025 @11:42AM (msmash) from the how-about-that dept.)


Apple has [1]launched the iPhone Pocket , a knitted bag designed to hold iPhones. The limited edition collaboration with Japanese designer Issey Miyake costs $229.95 for the crossbody version. A shorter version is priced at $149.95. Apple said the 3D-knitted design was inspired by "a piece of cloth" and was born from the idea of creating an additional pocket for any iPhone and small everyday items. Yoshiyuki Miyamae, design director at Miyake Design Studio, said the product "speaks to the bond between iPhone and its user" and explores "the joy of wearing iPhone in your own way." Steve Jobs [2]mocked similar $29 iPod Socks as "a revolutionary new product" in 2004.



[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/11/introducing-iphone-pocket-a-beautiful-way-to-wear-and-carry-iphone/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGinG6rHSrw&t=270s



Checked the date (Score:3)

by snakecoder ( 235259 )

Not joking. As soon as I saw this headline, I checked the date to make sure it was not Apr 1.

Douche' ... by Apple (Score:4, Insightful)

by AmazingRuss ( 555076 )

My god, It's self parody.

It's fashion (Score:2)

by jacks smirking reven ( 909048 )

Not utility, the money is for the social signal.

Re: (Score:3)

by Computershack ( 1143409 )

> Not utility, the money is for the social signal.

The only social signal this sends out is that the person who has one is a moron to be avoided at all costs.

OMG (Score:1)

by Suripat ( 6282462 )

Definetely waiting for the iPhone Fleshlight.

Re: (Score:2)

by Alypius ( 3606369 )

You're not far off. This "sock" is more akin to a condom, "expanding to fit more of a user's" stuff.

It's a micropurse. (Score:2)

by nightflameauto ( 6607976 )

It's not a sock. It's not a pocket. It's a micropurse. A micropurse for signaling to others that you are a trend-hopper with bad economic sense.

On the other hand, it does absolutely look like a great tool for prison. Would hold a bar or two of soap, and you could swing it nice and hard at someone's face in as a mele weapon. Not sure how many prisoners can afford it though. Guess they'll just have to make do with tube socks and clip-on straps.

Re: (Score:2)

by sabbede ( 2678435 )

Well, maybe personal wealth more than just bad sense. If $150-$230 is a trivial amount for you, then why not blow it on a trivial whim? Well, because you're so wealthy that something that cheap will invite laughter - "Oh, was your valet unwell that day?" So, "I'm so wealthy that I can throw $200 away on worthless crap to show off that I can throw $200 away, but no so wealthy that I can pay someone to carry my phone for me. Now you know my economic class without having to ask. You're welcome, f-k off."

A perfect product with zero flaws (Score:2)

by ThumpBzztZoom ( 6976422 )

Since they're only putting them in a handful of stores in select cities, that will give the Indonesian companies plenty of time to flood the market with $23 knockoffs well before Apple would have to bother with making too many of them.

The tight single pocket design guarantees you get to make the choice if you want your keys rubbing against the screen or the camera lenses.

And I'm sure absolutely no one would ever make fun of a guy carrying a knit phone purse.

At $29... (Score:2)

by Computershack ( 1143409 )

If you got a pack of 6 for $29 [1]like the Ipod socks Steve Jobs mocked in an Apple Music Event in 2004 [youtube.com] then yeah I could see that as being reasonable to go for. But this nonsense? "Inspired by a piece of cloth".....well my opinion of this is inspired by the dog turd I almost stepped in this morning.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGinG6rHSrw&t=270s

Prison couture (Score:2)

by abulafia ( 7826 )

A designer lock-in-a-sock.

P.T. Barnum? (Score:2)

by Fnord666 ( 889225 )

I think P.T. Barnum had the correct view of this.

I would hardly call myself a fan of Jobs (Score:3)

by king*jojo ( 9276931 )

but MAN did this company take a turn when he slipped the mortal coil

It's the inspiration that I enjoy. (Score:2)

by sabbede ( 2678435 )

A bit of cloth inspired by... a bit of cloth.

That's high fashion for ya!

I highly recommend taking a look at the designer's work. [1]https://us.isseymiyake.com/ [isseymiyake.com]

While you do, ask yourself, "wha..?", "huh?", and, "what awful sci-fi movie did I see that in?"

[1] https://us.isseymiyake.com/

Re: (Score:2)

by nightflameauto ( 6607976 )

> A bit of cloth inspired by... a bit of cloth.

> That's high fashion for ya!

> I highly recommend taking a look at the designer's work. [1]https://us.isseymiyake.com/ [isseymiyake.com] While you do, ask yourself, "wha..?", "huh?", and, "what awful sci-fi movie did I see that in?"

OMG! The dancing models in ridiculous oversized swatches of fabric. I don't think I've seen anything funnier than that serious angry face stomp-dance with the sleeves flowing around like she was pike-hiking a mountain trail in a long time. That's the best laugh I've had in days. Imagine being the guy that had to explain to her, "I want you to look angry and really sell the trudge while swinging your arms around like an idiot!" I'll bet she ended up thinking porn would have been more dignified.

[1] https://us.isseymiyake.com/

Could be even more profitable (Score:2)

by jenningsthecat ( 1525947 )

They could have issued an NFT version of the product instead. I'm sure lots of Apple fanbois and fangrrrls would have taken the bait, and setting up the NFT would have been even cheaper than the probably-sub-five-dollar cost of the $230-dollar product shown in the TFA.

Speaking of the product, it's prompted me to coin a new word: "uglitude". Because plain old "ugliness" isn't hipsterish enough for this garish refugee [1]from the early 70's [duckduckgo.com].

[1] https://duckduckgo.com/?ia=images&origin=funnel_home_website&hps=1&q=early+70's+fashion&atb=v343-1&iax=images

Ummm. (Score:2)

by fuzzyfuzzyfungus ( 1223518 )

It looks weirdly like some sort of baby transport accessory. Maybe perfect for iphone air users hoping that a warm, soothing, environment conducive to frequent suckling will help their purchase recover developmentally normal weight?

Elbonics, n.:
The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie
theatre.
-- "Sniglets", Rich Hall & Friends