Which IPhone 12 Accessories Should You Wait to Buy?
While there are many new technologies in the iPhone 12, Apple is also taking steps to reduce e-waste by giving you fewer things in the iPhone box. Taken together, these two facts mean that you will likely end up spending “a little” to “a lot” more money after buying a new iPhone to get all the accessories you need – in addition to any other monthly payments you need to payment for 5G services .
What accessories can I get? What accessories should you get? Let’s take a look at the essentials and I’ll give you a few guidelines for what you should do for each category.
A brand new case for your iPhone 12
- If you have a new case? Definitely.
- Should you buy this from Apple? Probably no.
Normally, I wouldn’t buy a case for your iPhone. Yes, they can offer additional protection. In fact, I have used one religiously. However, one day I wanted to see what life was like without a case, so I took mine off for a few days. Several weeks passed in this way. And since then, I haven’t used the case with my old iPhone – and I was lucky enough not to drop it at all.
However, MagSafe is a game changer. You can now purchase a case that also still allows you to wirelessly charge your device (also one of the many reasons I’d rather not knock a thick piece of protective material around my device). While I can’t imagine any major case makers doing anything that doesn’t work perfectly with Apple’s new MagSafe technology, I’m sure you’ll still see some iPhone 12 cases that aren’t optimized for the new technology. Avoid them like the plague. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m convinced that MagSafe is one of the best new iPhone 12 features, even more so than 5G , but that’s just me.
As for buying it from Apple: Right now, the third-party market is just starting to fill with ideas for MagSafe-friendly cases. Because of this, I might risk getting an unprotected iPhone for a month or two, just to see what else arrives (besides the OtterBox , if they’re not working on an Apple exclusive just yet). Apple’s asking prices for MagSafe cases are overpriced . a little too steep at $ 50, especially that “Clear Case” which is basically just a piece of plastic with a magnet slapped in the center. Uf.
New wireless charger for your iPhone 12
- Should you buy a new charger? Definitely.
- Should you buy this from Apple? If you’re impatient, yeah
The second verse is the same as the first. In order for your MagSafe-compatible iPhone 12 to connect properly to the wireless charger, the charger must be MagSafe-compatible. That means you’ll need to buy a new charger – whether it’s something for your desk, something for your car, a nightstand stand for your iPhone 12, etc.
While I usually suggest waiting around for third-party chargers that will give you a lot more variety at a lower price point than Apple’s , you can wait a bit for new chargers to arrive, especially given the newness of MagSafe technology. Only Belkin now has an alternative charger and it is expensive.
Will your existing wireless charger work with your iPhone 12? Certainly. Is MagSafe more fun? Absolutely. Will it cost you $ 40 to get it now? You are placing your bet. If you can wait, wait, but I won’t envy you if you spend some money to have some fun with Apple’s new magnetic technology.
Power adapter for your iPhone 12
- Should you buy a new power adapter? Potentially
- Should you buy this from Apple? Absolutely not.
If you’ve been buying an iPhone for a while, you probably have a variety of tiny “power supplies” that you can use to charge your new iPhone 12 through its Lightning connection. You can charge it even faster if you have a higher watt power adapter – everything from an iPad power adapter to a MacBook power adapter is fair game.
If iPhone 12 is your very first iPhone, or if you’re just too lazy to keep these power adapters, you’ll need to buy one yourself. Apple no longer includes them in the box – just a USB C-to-Lightning cable. While Apple has slashed the price of its 20W USB-C power adapter by $ 10 (ooh, ah) , you can do more to accommodate that.
This Anker model is as good but cheaper than this Aukey charger – both Wirecutter favorites . I love combo chargers myself; they provide faster charging for your iPhone via USB-C, as well as a USB-A port for all your other devices. Yes, and they will still be cheaper than Apple’s single port chargers.
Snap Wallet for iPhone 12 Case
- Should you buy a new wallet? Eh.
- Should you buy this from Apple? No.
Rounding out our MagSafe coverage is this new leather wallet that can now be attached to the back of your iPhone. If you’re a big Apple fan, be sure to pay $ 60 for a small magnetic pouch. Otherwise, I would have waited for every other company under the sun to offer their own snap-on accessories. You can use your pocket to store cash while you wait. Everything will be fine.
Car mount for your iPhone 12
- Should you buy a new car mount? Someday soon, but not yet.
- Should you buy this from Apple? No.
To be honest, all this talk about MagSafe makes me incredibly excited about one particular event I’ve been waiting for: a car mount that I don’t have to fiddle with. I find it annoying to have to slide the phone into the mount and tighten the sides to keep it in place – and I think any other gadgets that other car mounts use to secure your phone (and ideally charge it) are just as annoying. …
My guess is that MagSafe car mounts like the Belkin mount – currently the only one you can purchase – will work like these magnetic shower heads. In other words: click, click. Don’t mess with the clamps. No mating with Lightning connectors. Just dock your smartphone and off you go.
I love this concept; now I’m just waiting for someone to make a car mount that also allows you to charge your phone via a magnetic connector. Belkin’s “magnet on the clamp” is close, but not quite. I’ll wait.
Headphones for your iPhone 12
- Should you buy new headphones? No.
- Should you buy this from Apple? Never.
How many Apple fans have their drawers full of headphones? I know that. The more recent Lightning headphones that came with the iPhone 7 are the only ones that will let you connect to your new iPhone 12 without a dongle, but you won’t find them in the box. Yes, in the name of sustainability, Apple has ditched its headphones as well. But you can still buy them directly from Apple for $ 19.
If I were you, I would ask any of my Apple loving friends to borrow (permanently) one of the many pairs of headphones they don’t use. And if that still doesn’t help, buy something other than Apple headphones. Go and buy AirPods – one of my favorite accessories that I never thought I would use, but now I love. Buy wired headphones with a little extra audio cable that lets you access Siri, start / stop calls, and adjust volume without taking your iPhone out of your pocket. Or just buy a pair of high quality headphones. Don’t waste $ 20 on the most basic headphones.
Longer charging cable for your iPhone 12
- Should you buy a longer charging cable? Certainly!.
- Should you buy this from Apple? No no no.
I don’t have an iPhone 12 and there have been no recalls at the time of this writing (the embargo is lifted tomorrow), so I can’t tell you how long the included USB-C-to-Lightning cable is. Chances are good that you will likely benefit from something longer, especially if you need to wrap the cable around furniture to charge your iPhone exactly where you are most likely to use it.
If or when you decide to buy a longer cable, avoid the Apple store like the plague. A two-meter cable will set you back $ 29. You can find an equally good and slightly cheaper cable at a number of other retailers, including Amazon itself , as well as sites like Monoprice (great prices if you buy multiple). Do not buy cables from Apple.