iPhones are an essential part of our everyday lives. We use them to communicate, take photos, navigate and browse social media, to name a few purposes. The devices are always in our pockets and have access to millions of apps.
The first six items on this list are compatible with all iPhone models (iPhone 5 and above) and the last six are specifically compatible with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models featuring MagSafe.
This holiday season, if you’re looking for a gift for an iPhone user in your life or you want a recommendation for something for yourself, check out this iPhone buyer’s guide.
Omoton Phone Stand
Whether you’re reading a recipe in the kitchen or watching a video at your desk, a good stand for your iPhone is a must. The Omoton stand is all aluminum and comes in three colours: ‘Space Grey,’ ‘Silver,’ and ‘Red.’ It’s adjustable up to 270 degrees with protective anti-scratch pads. Two hooks at the bottom of the stand keep your iPhone secure.
Buy Omoton’s stand on Amazon for roughly $20
Twelve South PowerPic
Well-known accessory maker Twelve South designed two stylish wireless chargers that double as picture frames. The PowerPic is a 7.5W Qi-wireless charger that also fits a 5 x 7 photograph. The PowerPic mod is an all-glass modern style 4 x 6 picture frame with a built-in wireless charger.
Buy the PowerPic on sale right now for $51. The PowerPic mod for $76 on Twelve South’s website
SanDisk 256GB iXpand Lightning + USB-C Flash Drive
iOS 13 brought external storage support to iPhones and iPads. Before iOS 13, you would have to install a third-party app to manage flash drives connected to your device. Native support with the files app makes connecting a flash drive to your iPhone and managing files on it tremendously easier. Sandisk is a trusted name in external storage, and its iXpand Flash Drive has a USB-C connection on one side and lightning on the other.
Beats Flex
Wireless earphones are a powerful part of the modern smartphone experience. The Beats Flex are Apple’s most affordable and perhaps best-value earphones. The Beats Flex offer 12-hours of battery life, Apple’s W1 chip, and ‘Find My’ support. In addition, each earbud has a magnet that pauses your music when they’re attached together. The Beats Flex charge via USB-C and come in four different colours: ‘Flame Blue,’ ‘Beats Black,’ ‘Smoke Grey,’ and ‘Yuzu Yellow.’
Buy Beats’ Flex from Apple for $89.95
AirPods
If you’re looking for something a little more than the Beats Flex, Apple has four different models of AirPods for you to check out. Starting off, you can grab a pair of 2nd-gen AirPods with five hours of battery life. Second, you can purchase 3rd-gen AirPods that feature six hours of battery life, ‘Spatial Audio’ with dynamic head tracking, water resistance and ‘Find My’ support.
Apple’s AirPods Pro offers all of the same features 3rd generation AirPods do, with the addition of active noise cancellation and replaceable ear tips. However, the AirPods Pro provide 4.5 hours of battery life. Finally, you can buy a pair of AirPods Max at the very top of Apple’s lineup. AirPods Max are over-ear headphones with 20 hours of battery life. They come in five different colours: ‘Silver,’ ‘Space Grey,’ ‘Sky Blue, ‘Pink’ and ‘Green.’ It’s also worth noting that all AirPods offer free engraving when ordering from Apple’s website.
You can order AirPods (2nd generation) for $179, AirPods (3rd generation) for $239, AirPods Pro for $329, and AirPods Max for $779 from Apple’s website for $179
Apple Adapters
iPhones are beautiful pieces of hardware with one massive limitation. The smartphone only features a single proprietary Lightning port, seriously restricting what you can connect to your iPhone. Being wireless most of the time is fantastic. Still, there are situations where a direct connection is the better choice. All of the adapters on this list are MFi certified by Apple, which means they will continue to work with iPhone for the long term.
Apple’s Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter is $9 and ships from Apple’s website. It converts an iPhone’s lightning port to a 3.5mm headphone jack for headphones and other audio accessories.
Belkin’s 3.5mm Audio + Charge Rockstar adapter is $44.95 and is available on Amazon. It allows you to listen to 3.5mm headphones and charge your iPhone simultaneously.
Belkin’s Lightning Audio + Charge Rockstar adapter ships from Apple’s website and costs $44.95. It provides two lightning ports. One port for charging and a second for listening to Apple’s Lightning EarPods.
Apple’s Lightning to VGA Adapter is available on Apple’s website and costs $65. It allows an iPhone to connect to an older VGA connection frequently found on LCD projectors.
Apple’s Lightning to AV adapter ships from Apple’s website and costs $65. It has an HDMI port for mirroring an iPhone to a TV, monitor, or modern LCD projector.
Apple’s Lightning to SD Card adapter is available on Apple’s website and costs $29. It grants the ability to import photos or videos from a camera’s full-size SD card.
Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 adapter costs $49 and ships from Apple’s website. It puts a USB-A port on an iPhone, allowing to transfer of data from a flash drive or another USB input device.
Belkin’s Ethernet + Power Adapter with Lightning Connector can be ordered on Amazon for $129.99. It provides an ethernet port for situations where a direct internet connection would be helpful.
Belkin Car Mount with MagSafe
Apple introduced MagSafe for iPhone with the iPhone 12 lineup in 2020 and continued the technology with the current iPhone 13 lineup. MagSafe has made swapping accessories on and off your phone much more effortless. Belkin launched two MagSafe car mounts — the Magnetic Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe and the Magnetic Wireless Car Charger, which charges your iPhone with 10W of power.
You can purchase the Magnetic Car Vent Mount PRO with MagSafe from Apple for $49.95 or the Magnetic Wireless Car Charger from Belkin for around $76
MagSafe Charger
A simple but always appreciated gift is Apple’s MagSafe Charger for iPhone and a 20W USB-C Power Adapter. The MagSafe Charger offers up to 15W of Qi-wireless charging for your iPhone 12 or 13 model. In addition, MagSafe’s magnetic connection means you’re always going to have easy placement and a solid connection when charging.
Buy the MagSafe Charger for $55 and the 20W USB-C Power Adapter for $25 from Apple’s website
MagSafe Battery Pack
Sometimes you might be out of the house and away from a charger. For those days, grab the MagSafe Battery Pack from Apple for $119. The MagSafe Battery Pack comes in white and magnetically attaches to any iPhone 12 or 13 model. Depending on your iPhone model, the MagSafe Battery Pack will give you an extra 40-70 percent battery life. One advantage Apple’s first-party battery has over third-party competitors is the built-in integration with iOS. When the battery pack is attached to your iPhone, you’ll see the battery percentage in the battery widget.
You can pick up the MagSafe Battery Pack from Apple for $119
MagSafe Leather Wallet
Wallet cases have always been popular with iPhone users. MagSafe has made swapping out your charger, battery, car mount, and other accessories quicker and easier. The wallet is no different. It holds three cards and features Find My support, showing the wallet’s last location disconnected from your iPhone. The MagSafe Leather Wallet comes in five colours: ‘Golden Brown,’ ‘Dark Cherry,’ ‘Sequoia Green,’ ‘Midnight’ and ‘Wisteria.’
Buy the MagSafe Leather Wallet from Apple for $79
PopSockets MagSafe PopGrip
PopSockets have become popular smartphone accessories. However, perhaps the more significant disadvantage of using one is attaching it to the back of your iPhone or case using adhesive. PopSocket’s MagSafe PopGrip solves that problem by magnetically connecting to your iPhone 12 or 13 model. PopSockets MagSafe PopWallet+ is another excellent option available in ‘Black’ or ‘Lavender’ and features a three-card wallet.
Buy PopSocket’s MagSafe PopGrip for $39.99 and PopSockets MagSafe PopWallet+ for $49.99 from Best Buy’s website
Moment Tripod Mount for MagSafe
If you or someone you know records many videos, then the Moment Tripod Mount for MagSafe would be an excellent choice for them.
The Moment Tripod Mount for MagSafe has a standard 1/4-inch thread at the bottom to attach with virtually any tripod. Once connected, any iPhone 12 or 13 model magnetically attaches to the mount. Moment’s MagSafe mount makes attaching and detaching an iPhone during shooting much more manageable than traditional smartphone tripod clamps.
Buy Moment Tripod Mount from Moment’s website for around $45
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