'Tis the season for knitwear. And not just sweaters, scarves and pom-pommed caps for those of us who want to ward off a chill. You can also dress up your phone in something snug and stylish. Meet the new iPhone Pocket, a glorified yarn sling from Apple with a high-fashion pedigree courtesy of designer Issey Miyake.
To be honest, the first thing that came to mind when the iPhone Pocket announcement was made was something a little more... pedestrian. Back when the must-have mobile device was an MP3 player, Apple introduced iPod socks -- brightly colored woolly wraps that swaddled your iPod like it was an infant. The company sold them for the better part of a decade, starting in 2004.
For some, this fabric accessory for iPhones gives off a distinctly mankini vibe. (Sorry if you can't now unsee that.) For others, it bears a strong resemblance to Dr. Seuss' shape-shifting thneed -- not just in its look, but also in its association with trendy consumer goods.
But hey, it could just be the zhuzh you're looking for.
Watch this: Putting Apple's iPhone Pocket to the Test 05:27
The iPhone Pocket is on sale now, but you can't walk into just any old Apple store and get it. Apple is selling it in 10 select shopping locales, like SoHo in New York, Regent Street in London, Marché Saint-Germain in Paris and Orchard Road in Singapore. Everyone else will just have to order it online like it's from Temu.
High fashion does not come cheap. The short strap design will set you back $150, while the long strap version costs $230.
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Hands-on with the iPhone Pocket
On the first day the iPhone Pocket went on sale, a few Fridays back, CNET's Bridget Carey picked up one each of the long and short versions (blue and pink, respectively) at the Apple store in fashion-centric SoHo, the only Apple retail store selling it in the US. Customers there could go hands-on with the woven slings, giving the Pocket a stretch or sample slipping their iPhones into it.
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