Biggest tech dud of 2025? The incredibly silly iPhone ‘sock’ starting at R2,500
Apple’s iPhone ‘sock’ pocket, a limited edition product launched in November 2025, sparked controversy with its high price and unconventional design, yet surprisingly sold out. Picture: Apple
Image: Apple
Apple makes some of the best products in the tech market, but with the iPhone ‘sock’ pocket, it’s a complete miss.
The glorified iPhone holder was launched by the tech giant in November, starting at a jaw-dropping $149 (R2,500) and an even more ludicrous $299 (R3,900) for the longer version. Fortunately, these products were never made available in South Africa.
This is from a company that also relaunched the dud MacBook in 2015, which had a chronically underpowered processor that looked great but performed more like a paperweight in computing tasks.
Then there are the quality products with a crucial design flaw, like the Apple Magic Mouse, which cannot be used while charging via USB-C cable.
“The iPhone Pocket: A Limited Edition Sock That Sold Out Despite Its Unconventional Design”
This new sock (I refuse to call it a pocket), however, takes the cake.
It’s not even a handbag, for which an argument could be made that you could fit other things in it as well.
“The design of iPhone Pocket speaks to the bond between iPhone and its user, while keeping in mind that an Apple product is designed to be universal in aesthetic and versatile in use,” said Yoshiyuki Miyamae, design director of Miyake Design Studio, who makes the silly socks for Apple.
“iPhone Pocket explores the concept of ‘the joy of wearing iPhone in your own way.’ The simplicity of its design echoes what we practice at Issey Miyake — the idea of leaving things less defined to allow for possibilities and personal interpretation.”
Simplicity? That’s certainly the case, as it would take a complicated thought process before purchasing such a thing. Yet, the limited edition release was said to have sold out.
If that is to be believed, it means hordes of people went and actually bought these things. And for me, that simply doesn’t compute.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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