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Buyers' Guide

The ultimate Apple Watch accessory gift guide [2023 Edition]

Every accessory and service an Apple Watch user needs to check out

Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch is, by far, Apple’s most personal device.

It’s hard to underplay how impactful the smartwatch can be to a person’s life. For some, the Apple Watch is a productivity tool that keeps them connected. For others, it’s a fitness tracker encouraging them to live healthier lives. Regardless, the Apple Watch can have a significant impact on your life.

Previously, I wrote about every Apple Watch strap available in the Apple Store. And now, here are 14 accessories and two services every Apple Watch user needs to check out.

Twelve South ActionSleeve

The ActionSleeve is another unique accessory created by the team at Twelve South. Not all workouts accommodate items on your wrist, and some of us may just not like the feel. However, many of us may be used to having an iPhone strapped to an arm. The Twelve South ActionSleeve brings that same concept to your Apple Watch, moving your fitness tracker from your wrist to your bicep.

The Twelve South ActionSleeve is available on Amazon for $64.76 for the 41mm Apple Watch and $50.05 for the 45mm Apple Watch.

Satechi USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock

Want a compact way to charge your Apple Watch via your MacBook or iPad? Look no further than the Satechi USB-C Magnetic charging dock. This small Apple Watch charger is made of space grey-coloured aluminum and is MFi certified by Apple. Because of its compactness, this is a great travel or workbag accessory to charge your Apple Watch.

You can order the Satechi USB-C Magnetic charging dock from Amazon for $59.99

Wooden Watch Band Organizer

This next accessory is simple but stylish. Every time I walk into an Apple Store, I think of how nice it would be to have a tray for my Apple Watch bands. While this tray isn’t identical to the sleek-looking ones at the Apple Store, it does hold six bands and is quite affordable. The wooden band tray is made of bamboo and accommodates any size of Apple Watch strap.

You can order the Wooden Watch Band Organizer from Amazon in either a light wood for $32.99 or a dark wood for $39.99

Elago Apple Watch Stand

Cool fact, your Apple Watch actually has a cute nightstand mode! This nightstand mode shows the time and the Apple Watch’s battery percentage in green text when connected to a charger. Elago made this feature fun by creating some Apple and Nintendo-inspired Apple Watch stands.

There are four stands to choose from, some coming in various colours. Your options include an Apple II, iMac G3, Gameboy, and an original iPod. Once received, place your Apple Watch charging puck in the stand, and now your Apple Watch has a fun new home when charging!

Not sure if nightstand mode is enabled on your Apple Watch? Launch the Watch app > tap general > scroll down to Nightstand Mode and make sure it’s toggled on (green). These stands fit all Apple Watches except for the Apple Watch Ultra.

You can order Elago’s Apple II, iMac, Gameboy, or iPod Apple Watch stands on Amazon for $16.99 to $20.99, depending on the version and colour.

AirPods Pro

It’s safe to say that any pair of AirPods is an excellent pair of AirPods. However, the AirPods Pro (2nd-Gen) stand out as a fantastic pair of earbuds. Initially, the first-generation AirPods Pro did not sit in my ears comfortably, so I stuck with regular AirPods through to the third generation. Yet, I was sold when the second-generation AirPods Pro was released with extra small ear tips.

AirPods Pro features six hours of battery life, active noise cancellation, adaptive transparency, spatial audio, and are sweat and water-resistant. The included charging case provides an additional 24 hours of battery life, MagSafe charging, a U1 chip, speaker for Find My, and a spot for a lanyard loop! All these features make AirPods Pro a stellar companion for your Apple Watch to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while exercising.

AirPods Pro is available to purchase from Apple for $329, and you can request a custom engraved charging case for no extra charge when ordering from Apple’s website

Powerbeats Pro

For people who find AirPods don’t sit right in their ears, there’s Powerbeats Pro. On countless occasions, my mother has told me how much she enjoys her Powerbeats Pro. While the buds don’t offer feature parity with AirPods Pro, they’re still great earbuds. 

The Powerbeats Pro are water resistant, feature “Hey Siri” support, and have physical buttons to pause/play music and adjust the volume. Powerbeats Pro features nine hours of battery life on a single charge, with the provided charging case granting another 24 hours. Perhaps the most attractive feature of Powerbeats Pro is their around-ear hooks to help keep the buds in your ears during an intense workout. 

Powerbeats Pro comes in ‘Black,’ ‘Navy,’ and ‘Ivory’ for $329.95 from Apple and offers complimentary engraving when ordering online

Otterbox All Day Case

We’re all used to putting a case on our iPhones to protect them. While the Apple Watch is meant to be a fashion piece in many situations, in others, such as on an adventurous hike, it may be at risk of being damaged. Luckily, North America’s number-one-selling smartphone case manufacturer has you covered. 

Otterbox sells their All Day case for Apple Watch in blue, purple, pink, brown, green and black. Some colours are available in both 41mm and 45mm, while others may only be available in a single size. Otterbox is well known for its protective cases, and its All Day case for Apple Watch easily snaps on and off depending on your needs for any given day. 

You can order the All Day case for Apple Watch on Amazon for $31.99 in Black for either 41mm or 45mm. Other colours range from $26.30 to $32.75 and can be found here.

Screen Protectors

Continuing on the protective side of things, screen protectors are another common accessory many of us purchase to protect our iPhones from scratches and cracks. Apple Watches are no different. Many may not realize that the stainless steel Apple Watch models and the Apple Watch Ultra feature stronger crystal sapphire glass. In contrast, regular aluminum Apple Watches feature ion-x glass, which is far more susceptible to scratches. 

Having primarily owned stainless steel watches and now an Apple Watch Ultra, I feel those owners can get away without a screen protector on their watch. However, aluminum watch owners should consider buying one to protect from those ugly scratches. There are many options to choose from, but UniqueMe sells six packs for both 41mm and 45mm Apple Watches. 

You can order the UniqueMe screen protectors for $13.99 on Amazon

Travel Storage Bag

Like any good traveller, you strive only to pack the essentials to avoid that frustrating baggage fee airlines charge. Yet, you still want to bring along several watch straps to match your outfit on any given day. Well, an Apple Watch strap travel storage bag is perfect for you. 

Several options are available in different shapes, sizes, and materials. However, I opted for the Baluue canvas storage bag. The Baluue canvas storage bag comes in three colours; grey, blue, and beige. It holds five watch straps and rolls up into a small travel convenient size. 

You can order the Baluue canvas storage bag on Amazon for $15.29 in blue, $16.09 in grey, or $16.79 in beige

USB-C Apple Watch Charger + 20W Power Adapter

Suppose you’re an Apple Watch Series 7 or above owner and need to charge your Apple Watch quickly. Good news: Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 (and Apple Watch Ultra) support fast charging! What is fast charging, you might ask? It’s where your Apple Watch charges from 0 to 80 percent in 45 minutes. 

Fast charging is convenient for those long days travelling, nights sleep tracking, or intense workout days. You need an Apple USB-C to Apple Watch charger and a 20W power adapter for fast charging. 

Apple sells its USB-C to Apple Watch charger for $39 and its 20W power brick for $25.

Apple Watch Adapter Connector

This accessory is small and inexpensive but a fantastic choice for those who may have a favourite watch strap from a traditional watch and want to wear it with their Apple Watch. These Apple Watch strap adapters from Iitee replace the links on your classic watch band with Apple Watch clasps. It’s that simple. Every kit comes with two connectors and a tool. Adapters are available for both the smaller 41mm Watch Face, and the larger 45/49mm Watch Faces.  

The Iitee Apple Watch adapter connector is available to order on Amazon for $13.99 in either space black or stainless steel.

Twelve South ActionBand

Another neat accessory from Twelve South is its ActionBand, a more comfortable way to wear your Apple Watch during a workout. Made of soft fabric, the ActionBand stays firm on your wrist while absorbing sweat and keeping your hands dry. The ActionBand is designed for all Apple Watches, 40mm and above, except for the Apple Watch Ultra. 

Order the Twelve South ActionBand from Amazon for $52.94 for 40mm and $48.65 for 45mm

Belkin Boost Up 3-in-1 Wireless Charger

I’ve written about the Belkin Boost Up 3-in-1 wireless charger a few times here on MobileSyrup, and that’s because the product is just so handy in my life. There are two versions; a tree-style stand and a flat mat. They’re both the same price and come in black or white. Deciding between the two depends on your style preference and whether you like your iPhone vertical or horizontal while charging. 

These 3-in-1 charging stations are Apple-certified and can fast charge both Apple Watches (series 7 and above) and iPhones (iPhone 12 and above) via MagSafe. Additionally, there’s a third spot for wireless charging AirPods! 

You can purchase both the Boost Up pad and the Boost Up tree from Apple for $179.95

AURA Strap 2

The AURA Strap 2 is a smart strap designed for Apple Watch. What does a smart strap do, you ask? Well, the AURA Strap 2 connects to your Apple Watch like any other band, except it uses low-energy Bluetooth and metal electrodes to share your body composition and hydration with your Apple Watch.

Body composition is the fat, bone, water and muscle percentages in human bodies. The AURA Strap 2 features six months of battery life. When the battery dies, simply replace the CR1632 coin-cell battery with a new one. Data collected by the AURA Strap 2 syncs with Apple Health. The AURA Strap 2 is water-resistant and comes in four colours; black, red, white, and blue.

The AURA Strap 2 can be ordered directly from AURA for $200 CAD ($149 USD) plus shipping

AppleCare+

Whether you’re clumsy or not, accidents happen, and when those accidents lead to a damaged Apple Watch, it can suck. AppleCare+ is Apple’s protection plan to provide an extended manufacturer’s warranty and some accidental cover to your Apple Watch. I actually wrote a whole run-down on AppleCare+ last year.

Briefly, AppleCare+ for Apple Watch includes an extended manufacturer’s warranty for accessories and defects, express replacement for repairs, and $89 deductibles for physical damage replacement. Typically AppleCare+ is purchased along with your watch. However, you have 60 days to buy it from Apple after purchasing your watch from any retailer. AppleCare+ is $129 for Apple Watch Ultra and $99 for all other models. 

You can learn more about AppleCare+ for Apple Watch on Apple’s website

Apple Fitness+

Apple Fitness+ debuted in late 2020 and has massively impacted my fitness journey. Apple Fitness+ offers a series of workouts, including strength, core, treadmill, yoga, kickboxing, and much more. Workouts range from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. For people who aren’t huge fans of the gym, Apple Fitness+ makes for an excellent way to get high-quality, guided workouts right at home. 

Apple Fitness+ used to require an Apple Watch until iOS 16.1 brought the functionality to iPhone users. Nevertheless, Apple Fitness+ is the best fitness training service for an Apple Watch user. Your workout metrics appear on the screen, including your calories burned during the current workout and your activity rings.

You can learn more about Apple Fitness+ on Apple’s website.

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