Apple fans perplexed by Issey Miyake iPhone ‘sock’ – yours from $150

 Apple’s ‘iPhone Pocket’ (Apple)

Apple has perplexed consumers with its latest product launch: a designer accessory called the “iPhone Pocket”.

Designed in collaboration with Japanese fashion label Issey Miyake, the limited-edition item, announced on Tuesday, November 11, has been met with widespread confusion and mockery over its design as well as its “eye-watering” price tag.

Some consumers are simply calling it a very expensive “sock” for a phone.

Essentially a 3D-knitted piece of fabric with a hole designed to snugly encase an iPhone, the product is an attempt to merge high fashion with mobile practicality.

The accessory is inspired by the concept of ‘a piece of cloth’ and features a mesh fabric that references Issey Miyake’s popular line, Pleats Please. It is intended to be worn cross-body like a small bag or used as a phone strap.

The long strap version of the iPhone Pocket is available for $229.95 in blue, brown, or black. A shorter version is also available in eight additional colours, including bright orange and turquoise, for $149.95, which can be hooked over an arm or tied to a bag.

Despite the prestigious fashion partnership, the response from Apple’s fanbase has been largely negative. Consumers quickly took to social media to voice their astonishment at the cost and function, with one person on Instagram writing: “This is a sock y’all.”

Others drew comparisons to the Noughties trend of the multi-coloured “iPod sock” that Apple sold and subsequently discontinued between 2004 and 2012, with one commenter chiming: “The iPod sock is back.”

Beyond the price and appearance, critics have voiced serious security concerns. Commenters pointed out the accessory’s lack of a secure fastening or zip, arguing the open design would only aid phone snatchers. “Making it easier to steal! Great,” wrote one commenter, while another added a grim prediction for London users: “In London it will be ripped off your arm in a nano second.”

Apple and Issey Miyake maintain that the product is “playful and versatile,” born from the idea of creating an “additional pocket.” The product description explains that the open textile “subtly reveals its contents and allows you to peek at your iPhone display,” supporting a variety of wearing styles.

However, for many loyal Apple fans, the launch remains a peculiar and expensive misstep, encapsulated by one exasperated comment: “Imagine spending my money on a phone sock.”