iPhone Pocket
Apple (Hacker News, Slashdot):
ISSEY MIYAKE and Apple today unveiled iPhone Pocket. Inspired by the concept of “a piece of cloth,” its singular 3D-knitted construction is designed to fit any iPhone as well as all pocketable items.
[…]
“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,” shared Yoshiyuki Miyamae, design director of MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO. “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.”
[…]
iPhone Pocket is a special-edition release. The short strap design is available in lemon, mandarin, purple, pink, peacock, sapphire, cinnamon, and black; the long strap design is available in sapphire, cinnamon, and black. iPhone Pocket in the short strap design retails at $149.95 (U.S.), and the long strap design at $229.95 (U.S.).
Well, that was a surprise. When I first saw the title, I had a split-second hope that this was a small iPhone that would fit better in my pocket. Then I thought it seemed like an April Fool’s joke. The pretension. And, price aside, it doesn’t even seem like a good product. I can see the appeal of a gold Apple Watch, even if I wouldn’t buy one, but to me the Pocket is neither attractive nor practical.
Does “special-edition” mean that it’s only available for a limited time? Because, being essentially a sock, it’s not as if this shape will only fit this year’s iPhone models.
I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to enjoy a colorful, crossbody case. And I know that this product is not actually taking Apple’s time away from more important things, like putting out fires of its own creation. But it sure feels like a statement about where the company’s priorities are.
At the rate Apple is saying “Yes” these days they’ve gotta be clocking tens of millions of “No”s.
What few people noted is that Issey Miyake is a luxury designer brand founded by the “super famous Japanese designer” (to quote my wife) who designed Steve Jobs’ iconic black mock turtleneck, and which today sells $65 socks, $390 scarves, and $485 knit bags. A $230 iPhone holder is hardly an outlier for this brand.
Furthermore, “a piece of cloth” isn’t meant in its literal sense. Rather, it’s a reference to Miyake’s apparel concept of “A Piece of Cloth (or A-POC),” a “technique to reduce textile waste“ that starts with a single thread that’s then woven into a finished garment—a design so influential, they were on display at The Met and MoMA. I’d describe it as “spiritually related” to Apple’s unibody design, which carves laptops and iPhones from blocks of aluminum.
My completely fashion-free sense tells me these will be extremely popular among a particular crowd.
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People are upset about this? The price is crazy but the product seems fine. It’s more practical than Apple’s cross-body strap, which would be fussy to detach (https://support.apple.com/en-us/124955). Here you can just pull the phone out of the pocket. Maybe I’ll buy a knock-off when they start to appear at my local arts+crafts market.
$399 is pocket change. I always wanted a bespoke Miyake jacket, you're talking $4k minimum. But what I really want is a lifestyle where I could afford a $4k Miyake jacket.
> Well, that was a surprise. When I first saw the title, I had a split-second hope that this was a small iPhone that would fit better in my pocket. Then I thought it seemed like an April Fool’s joke. The pretension. And, price aside, it doesn’t even seem like a good product.
Michael, I went through the same exact steps. And then an additional one when I realized this was an official Apple collaboration. What were they thinking? This conflicts with the brand extremely badly.
for a fashion product, i think the price is quite justified. and with their marketing push, i think this will sell quite well in their target market. this is not a product from a tech company; it’s a statement piece.
I'm wondering if this is the first product targeting the market that occupies the Venn diagram for 'Morons" and 'People who sincerely hope that one day they will be garrotted'
