Best iPhone accessories [2017 Gift Guide]

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iPhone Gift Guide 2017
Need gift ideas? Find them right here!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2017 Gift Guide bugThe holidays are right around the corner, which means it’s time to start picking out the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Cult of Mac can help! This gift guide offers up a whole bunch of awesome gift suggestions for the iPhone lover in your life.

We handpicked some of the finest cases, wireless chargers, Bluetooth earbuds and more. They’re better than a bookstore voucher, and they’re guaranteed to fetch a smile.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

The best accessories for iPhone

Joby Magnetic Tripod

Joby Magnetic Tripod
The ultra-affordable tripod that’s good for anything.
Photo: Joby

For iPhone owners into photography, the Joby Magnetic Tripod is a must-have. It can be the difference between a perfect masterpiece that could hang on the wall and a shaky shot that’s too blurry to be used for anything.

With super-strong magnetic feet, flexible legs, and a universal mount adapter that’s compatible with almost any smartphone, the Joby ensures stability wherever you’re shooting. It’s small and light enough to slip into a bag, and incredibly affordable.

Buy from: Amazon

RAVPower Portable Charger

C:\Users\killi\Desktop\RAVPower Portable Charger
Give the gift of power.
Photo: RAVPower

If you know an iPhone user who’s always running out of battery, give them the RAVPower Portable Charger.

Its 6,700mAh battery is enough to provide two full charges for iPhone 6, and thanks to iSmart technology, it chargers faster than rival power packs. Its compact body means it’s small enough to carry anywhere, while safety protection prevents short circuits and over-charging.

Buy from: Amazon

Real wood cover for iPhone X from Toast

Toast wood cover for iPhone X
Toast’s real wood stick-on cover is a distinctive way to protect your iPhone X.
Photo: Toast

This real wood cover from Toast is a distinctive way to protect your iPhone X. The stick-on cover is easy to apply and stays put, giving your iPhone X a natural wood look and protecting it from scratches and scrapes. It comes in three finishes: walnut, ash, or ebony.

Buy from: Amazon

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon Echo Dot
Echo Dot has an answer for everything.
Photo: Amazon

Apple’s HomePod speaker won’t be here in time for the holidays, but there are plenty of wonderful (and more affordable) alternatives available right now. Amazon’s excellent Echo Dot is one of them, and right now it’s a steal with $20 off.

Echo Dot is powered by Alexa, which means it has the power to answer queries, play music, order pizza, control other smart devices, and more. It plays nicely with iPhone and other iOS devices, as well as a whole host of popular services, including Spotify and Pandora.

Echo Dot can also book Uber rides, fetch information on local businesses, and play music stored locally on a smartphone and other devices through its 3.5mm audio jack. It’s just as intelligent as larger Echo speakers, but significantly cheaper.

Buy from: Amazon

Apple Music Gift Cards

Apple Music gift card
Music makes everyone smile.
Photo: Apple

Everyone loves music, which is why an Apple Music Gift Card is guaranteed to fetch a smile.

They can be used toward a three- or 12-month subscription plan, or you can give them a full year for the price of just ten months. And if they’re new subscribers, they’ll get another three months free.

Prices start at $29.97, and because you can email them directly to the recipient, they’re ideal gifts for those you won’t get a chance to visit over the holidays.

Buy from: Apple — from $29.97

Lumos Helmet

Lumos Helmet
Protection combined with practicality.
Photo: Lumos

Keep your iPhone-loving cyclist safe with the Lumos Helmet. It’s the world’s first smart bike helmet that offers more than just protection, with built-in lights, hard brake, and turn signals.

It’s safety-certified, lightweight and comfortable to wear, and good for use in all weather conditions. Its rechargeable battery lasts a whipping six hours in between charges, and it has a wireless remote that makes signalling easy when you’re on the road.

Lumos is available in various pretty colors, priced at $199.

Buy from: Lumos — $199.99

Nodus Access Case 3

Access Case 3
A case that also carries your cards.
Photo: Nodus

An iPhone case doesn’t have to be exclusively about eliminating scratches. The Access Case 3 from Nodus also carries cards, without adding too much bulk. It’s made from fine Italian leather with a microfiber lining, and carries up to three cards with ease.

What’s unique about the Access Case 3 is that it attaches to an iPhone using micro-suction technology. It’s not just a regular case inside a wallet, which means it’s as slim as can be — even with cards inside — and doesn’t spoil the design of your device.

It’s also cheaper than Apple’s folio case.

Buy from: Amazon

Belkin Boost Up

Belkin BOOST UP
Wireless charging that’s super-fast.
Photo: Belkin

Apple’s latest iPhone lineup boasts wireless charging capabilities, but they don’t come with a wireless charging pad in the box. Give the gift of convenience to a loved one who owns an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X with the Belkin Boost Up.

It boasts a 7.5-watt transmitter coil that’s ideal for fast-charging in iOS 11.2. Plus, its nonslip surface helps ensure your device won’t get knocked off easily. Built-in thermal protection keeps everything safe (and an LED  lights up to let you know everything is working properly).

Like all good wireless charging pads, the Boost Up works just fine through lightweight cases. It also comes bundled with its own AC adapter.

Buy from: Amazon

Apple Silicone Case

Apple's are the nicest of all the plain cases we've tried.
Apple’s cases are the nicest of all the plain cases we’ve tried.
Photo: Apple

Apple makes some of the finest cases for iPhone, and its Silicone Case is the most affordable option. It weighs almost nothing, protecting an iPhone without adding much bulk. It’s not the cheapest case, but it will last forever, unlike more-affordable silicone solutions.

The Silicone Case fits great and cleans easily. If all you’re looking for is a simple, stylish iPhone case, it’s perfect.

Buy from: Amazon

Moshi Mythro Air

Moshi's Mythro Air Bluetooth earphones
Moshi’s Mythro Air are quality Bluetooth earphones at an affordable price.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Moshi’s Mythro Air wireless earbuds look good and sound good. They offer all-day battery life and a clever magnetic clip to keep them in place. A fun and unique feature lets you share audio from a single source to two sets of Mythro Air earbuds.

They cost much less than AirPods, and sound better than some premium earbuds that cost three times more. (Read our full review: Moshi wireless earbuds sound like a bargain.)

Buy from: Amazon

Olloclip iPhone lenses

Olloclip on iPhone
The Olloclip attached to an iPhone 6 Plus.
Photo: Jim Merithew/ Cult of Mac

Olloclips are the best-known iPhone lenses, and they’re an awesome gift for anyone who’s serious about smartphone photography.

An Olloclip is a little widget that clips over the iPhone camera and holds an accessory lens in front of it. Each clip comes with three lenses — fisheye, super-wide and macro — and you can flip them to quickly switch between favorites.

Olloclip allows for stunning snaps you can’t get from the iPhone camera alone, and it costs much less than a comparable lens for a dedicated DSLR.

Buy from: Amazon

Mujjo Leather Wallet Case

mujjo iPhone X wallet cases
A great, simple wallet design for folks who like the Apple case, but want a bit more.
Photo: Mujjo

Mujjo makes some of the finest leather cases you can buy for iPhone. Its Leather Wallet Case looks just as beautifully designed as Apple’s. And with a card pouch on its back, it proves even more practical. You can get it in gray, olive and tan, with prices starting at $58.38 for the iPhone 8 model.

Alternatively, you can get it without the card pouch from $52.53.

Buy from: Mujjo — from $58.38

Meem Memory

iPhone storage
The Meem Memory charging cable automatically backs up your iPhone while you charge it.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

Have a friend who never backs up their iPhone? Save them the pain of losing all their previous memories.

The Meem Memory looks like a green-and-black meat thermometer. Actually, it’s a versatile smartphone charging cord. It backs up photos, videos, contacts, calendar entries and documents in the cable each time an iPhone plugs in to charge.

It can store data from up to three devices, with 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options to choose from. The Meem app lets you manage backups. The data can be transferred to a computer or other devices for safekeeping.

Buy from: Amazon

Belkin Valet Charge Dock

Belkin Valet
Charge Apple gadgets in style with the Valet Charge Dock.
Photo: Belkin

If the iPhone lover you know also owns an Apple Watch, Belkin’s Valet Charge Dock is a wonderful addition to their desk or nightstand. It charges both devices at the same time, and looks good while doing it. It hides cables to reduce clutter, and comes in colors to match Apple gadgets.

Buy from: Belkin — $129.99

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