For years now it’s felt as though a new iPhone or iPad is coming out every other month. During a media conference on September 9, Apple announced the new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus models, as well as the new iPad Pro and IPad Mini 4. Fortunately the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus will apparently be about the same size as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, so many of the gadgets below will be compatible. However, you may need to order different models of the iPad accessories depending on your needs.
Amid the numerous Apple releases, it’s difficult to keep up to date on which accessories are the best for your current iPhone and iPad devices. So we thought we’d collect some of the best cases, docks and accessories available so you can stay current:
iPhone
Incipio Offgrid Express – $79.99
Although users are suggesting that the iPhone 6 battery is a vast improvement on previous models, it can’t hurt to have a little extra battery power just in case (get it? I’ll let myself out). Incipio’s Offgrid Express isn’t the usual bulky iPhone battery charging case, its sleek and easy to remove. The case comes with a 3,000mAh battery, more than enough to recharge your phone fully.
Eyefi Mobi Pro 32GB – £65.99
Basically, the Eyefi Mobi Pro is an SD card with WiFi, enabling you to quickly transfer your photos to your iPhone, iPad or Mac. The Pro version has some great extras worth paying a little more for, including the ability to import specific photos instead of every single one you’ve taken and access to Eyefi’s iCloud to backup your photos.
Glif – $20
Incredibly simple and infinitely useful, Glif is a tripod for your iPhone. Whether you’re taking photos, watching TV, playing a game or Facetiming, you can use Glif to steady your phone and give your arms a rest.
Typo 2 – £99
Have you ever bought an iPhone and thought ‘Man, I wish this was a Blackberry’? Well, using the Typo 2 keyboard case you can turn your iPhone into a Blackberry Bold. Yes, it does sound a bit like a nightmare but the Typo 2 actually has some handy shortcuts included in the tightly packed keyboard, though you will have to sacrifice the use of TouchID sensor and the ability to swipe up to open Control Centre. If you prefer to use physical keys when on your phone though, this may be the case for you.
Outdoor Tech Buckshot Pro – $78
Perfect if you work outdoors or go camping often, the Outdoor Tech Buckshot Pro is a 3-in-1 Bluetooth speaker, flashlight and can be mounted to your bike. The rugged wireless speaker has an IPX5 water resistance rating, can be used as a microphone and gives you up to 10 hours of sound when fully charged.
Griffin Powerdock 5 – £64.70
As you may have noticed from my ‘Best Apple Watch Accessories’ piece back in early September, I like a good dock. The incredible Griffin Powerdock 5 not only keeps your iPhone or iPad safe and recharged, it can hold both at the same time, as well as three other iOS devices.
Belkin WeMo Switch – £39.95
Not only does the Belkin WeMo Switch have the cutest plug-face in the world, it’s also an adapter that you plug in around your home allowing you to control lighting, TV’s and pretty much everything else from your iPhone.
Nest – $249 (US Only)
From the people behind the iPod comes Nest the smart thermostat you can control via an app on your iPhone. The device uses six sensors, which adapt to your lifestyle so you’ll never be too cold or too hot in your home again.
Philips InRange Bluetooth Leash Wireless Security – £44.95
If you’ve left your iPhone behind or lost it in the last two weeks then you need the Philips InRange Bluetooth Leash Wireless Security. The small unit attaches to pretty much anything, and will let you know via an app on your iPhone if it loses connection to your device. This means you’ve forgotten it, so you best go get looking.
Leef iBridge – $59.99 – $399.99
Require a lot of extra storage on your iOS device? The Leef iBridge plugs into your lightning port and adds from 16GB to 256GB of external storage. It’s that easy!
iPad
Logitech Keys To Go – £54.99
Not once have I ever written anything longer than a Tweet on my iPad, simply because I find using the touchscreen keyboard intolerably slow. Fortunately, there are numerous keyboards available. One of the best has to be Logitech’s unfortunately named Keys To Go. Waterproof, durable and compact, the Logitech Keys To Go utilizes Microsoft Surface Type Cover and applies it to the iPad, ensuring a far more enjoyable writing experience.
Wacom Bamboo Stylus – $43 – $111
If you’d prefer to stick with the iPad’s touchscreen keyboard, you can always purchase the Wacom Bamboo Stylus to make it a little easier. The stylus recharges via microUSB and works with an app that support palm rejection on your iPad’s screen.
Elgato Eye TV W – £65.95
Tiny and compact, the Eye TV W turns your iPhone or iPad into a portable television, streaming up to nine hours of high quality TV on an iPad and four hours on an iPhone, depending on how charged the devices are.
Twelve South PlugBug
The Twelve South PlugBug is a 2.1 Amp USB wall charger resembling a MacBook power adaptor, however it can be used with any USB cable, making it a fantastic addition to your charger collection.
Drop Tech Ruggedized Case – $59.95
iPad’s aren’t exactly the most robust technology on the planet, so it may be a good idea to protect them with the Drop Tech Ruggedized Case. It’s designed to be protective yet not bulky, so you can still use your iPad without getting exhausted enough to, ironically, drop it.
Ion Audio Guitar Apprentice – £99.99
Part Guitar Hero, part iPad dock the Ion Audio Guitar Apprentice is great for anyone who’s attempting to learn how to play the guitar. If you’re already a guitar player, you should know that the Guitar Apprentice is fully compatible with GarageBand so you can record and mix your music.
Ion Audio Piano Apprentice – £50
Whilst we’re talking about iPad-music lesson hybrids, we should mention the Piano Apprentice. Simply place your iPad in the dock and the app will show you which notes and hand positions you should use to play the tunes as the keys light up.
Belkin Thunderstorm – £179.99
If you enjoy watching films or gaming on your iPad then the Belkin Thunderstorm was built for you. By placing your iPad in the portable speaker dock, you can enjoy the high quality, rich sounds of the front facing speakers, which help ‘bass frequencies come alive’.
Ergo Book Sling – $79.95
The Ergo Book Sling is a humble, wearable iPad case with a detachable shoulder strap so you can either carry your iPad landscape or portrait depending on your preference. Each case is precision-moulded to ensure a custom fit for each iPad and quick access to the camera.
iKross 2-in-1 Car Mount – $27.99
If you work out of your vehicle most of the time, you’ll love the iKross 2-in-1 Mount, which can hold either you iPhone or your iPad. It has a cup holder mount, which will fit into most vehicles, so just pop it in there and adjust it to your liking.
