Cases

I love the juxtaposition of the latest technology with traditional luxurious materials. That's why I'm drawn to leather smartphone cases. But the folks at Hitcase sent me the Ferra iPhone Case ($59.99) and it goes the extra mile. In addition to leather (black or light brown) the case also has stainless steel accents, for the volume buttons, logo, and surrounding the camera lenses. That last part is important, because Hitcase adds its own bit of technology to each case.

The folks at Mophie basically invented the battery pack case. Mophie sent me its new Juice Pack Access ($99.95) for my iPhone XR and it's clear that the company is reinventing the battery case, leveraging the Qi-based wireless charging capabilities of the newer iPhones. As with its original line of cases, you essentially double the battery life of your iPhone, but this version does not interfere with your Lightning port. It charges your phone using the phone's built-in Qi wireless charging capability. You can still use the Lightning port to charge or use accessories like Apple's headphone and HDMI adapters. Ironically, if Apple had focused on making phones with larger batteries, even if they were thicker, the tech giant might have been able to leave the headphone jack in, and we might not need battery cases. But Apple's focus on thinness has hurt battery life, and led to the loss of the headphone jack, so Mophie has an answer.

At the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I picked up a pair of ThinOptics Glasses and Case (starting at $19.95) from ThinOptics. The company has a novel design for reading glasses (and computer glasses) that rest on your nose without temples, so the glasses are quite small. They are also flexible and durable.

I recently upgraded to the iPhone XR and that meant searching for a new case. The folks at Nomad sent several to review and I had a hard time choosing. I ended up with the simple and elegant Rugged Case (starting at $44.95) but some users might prefer Nomad's folio options for a few dollars more. What I like about all of the cases is, despite having a leather surface, they have a protective silicone shell that completely encompasses the perimeter of the iPhone. The coverage includes the port area at the bottom, which is where some competing cases, particularly Apple's own cases, skimp on coverage.

I've used and recommended Urban Armor Gear iPhone cases for years. They are the right mix of rugged protection and cool style. UAG sent me the Plyo Series iPad Case ($69.95) to review and it offers the same rugged protection as the iPhone cases. It protects all around the edges, including the ports, and has a cover lined with microfiber that keeps the screen clean.

If you're like me, you have probably seen and maybe even purchased those rugged, foam-filled shipping crates from Pelican. I use them all the time to ship computer and audio equipment. Well, what if you could have that level of protection for your iPhone? That's the idea behind the Pelican line of iPhone cases. The company sent me the Adventurer Case ($39.99) to try.

Solo sent me the Active Vector Slim iPad Case ($44.99) and it fit my 9.7-inch iPad from 2018 quite well. It is available in two color choices, all black or a gunmetal blue with black accents. I found both to be quite stylish, with a rubbery textured geometric pattern that also helps with grip.

Our iPhone Life editors just returned from the tech circus that is CES where they discovered the most innovative and useful iOS gear you can buy in 2019. Watch this video to see CEO David Averbach and Editor in Chief Donna Cleveland round up the 26 best tech accessories they found this year for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. 

I have been using and recommending Urban Armor Gear cases for iPhones, for many years. They had a clever promotion at the last few Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas, where you turn in your old smartphone case, literally throwing it in a large, clear plastic bin, and they give you a new one. I did that and was happy to have the upgrade. But it occurred to me that, as valuable as my iPhone is, my laptop is even more important and harder to replace. This is why I was happy to review the Plasma MacBook Case ($79.95) when Urban Armor Gear gave me the case to try.

I have been reviewing Just Mobile products for iPhone Life since the release of the company's iPad accessories and stands nearly ten years ago. With Apple's introduction of its most impressive (and expensive) iPhone to date, the iPhone XS Max, keeping such a substantial investment from harm is of utmost importance. Just Mobile agrees and has designed two product to address such a need.

The iPhone may be the number one camera, by use and arguably by picture quality, but it's still pretty uncomfortable to take photos with. That's where the Pictar One (starting at $99.99) from Miggo comes in. The Pictar One is a sort-of half case that your smartphone slides in to. The Pictar One adds a tripod mount, a cold shoe for lights and similar accessories, three dials, and a shutter button.

I travel a lot, and I usually carry my iPhone, various power packs, cables and converters, headphones, and more. But I don't want to lug around a backpack. The Axis Modular Waist Pack ($120) from Mission Workshop is a beautiful alternative, whether in basic black, gray, olive, or black camo. It's very well-made and worth the price tag if you appreciate well-made gear. You could even wear it like a messenger bag.

There are so many accessories you can buy to use with your shiny new iPhone, from headphones to charging cables and everything in between. But the most essential accessory, and the first accessory you should buy for your new iPhone is an iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR case. To help you decide which case is right for you we've put together a roundup of some of the top cases for the new iPhones.

The folks at Silk recently sent me some sample iPhone X, XS, XS Max, and XR Cases ($11.99-24.99). What's more, they included prototype samples of the actual iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, so I could test the cases with a reasonable facsimile of the new phones. That was a nice touch.

If you use an iPad for work, you should check out the Metropolis iPad Case with Handstrap ($44.95) from Urban Armor Gear. The case has a built-in 360-degree rotating hand strap, secured by durable velcro, which makes it great for one-handed operation. I could see using it on a shop floor or a trade show. There's even a strap to hold an Apple Pencil.

Apple has taken its sweet time delivering a multi-device charging station that can accommodate an iPhone, the Apple Watch, and Apple AirPods. It's been about a year since the AirPower wireless charger was announced, and when it finally is available, it will still be a lot more expensive than the Plux Wireless Charging Stand ($49) from Vinpak. 

My day-to-day case lately has been an Urban Armor Gear case that I picked up at CES 2018 and I'm quite happy with it. Recently, I got to try UAG's Monarch iPhone X Case ($59.95). This model carries on UAG's tradition of using heavy-duty materials and a rigid skeleton design, and goes even further with solid metal screws for support in the corners, which are the most likely points of impact when an iPhone is dropped. Indeed, the case meets 2X Military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6.) The 10-year warranty is likely to outlast your iPhone!

Scosche has added another powerful mount to its product line up, and it supports Qi wireless charging for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X. The MagicMount Pro Charge ($59.99) delivers up to 10 watts of Qi-based wireless charging and can be mounted on your car's window or dash.