Technologies

CNET Debates: Is Apple’s New Crossbody Strap a Great Idea or a Terrible One?

Does the crossbody strap make it more or less likely that you’ll have your iPhone stolen? We have conflicting opinions.

One thing you can be sure of during an Apple event is that it will generate immense quantities of discourse among CNET’s seasoned nerds — and no, we don’t always agree with one another.

Is the iPhone Air totally pointless and uncalled for, or the best design innovation since very thinly sliced bread? Both can be true, depending on whom you ask.

Among the many announcements on Tuesday that sparked conflicting opinions was a crossbody strap for the iPhone. After a back-and-forth in Slack, my colleague Zach McAuliffe and I have decided to put forth our respective viewpoints and allow you to be the judge.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Great idea: Katie Collins, Principal Writer

Have you ever been walking down the street to meet your friend, navigating using Google maps and texting your pal to let them know you’re running late, when all of sudden: bam! A dude on a moped has whizzed past at high speed and removed your phone from your hand before you’ve even had a chance to realize what’s happened?

In London, this style of phone theft is a daily occurrence, and while it’s never happened to me personally, every time I step foot on the streets of the British capital, I’m immediately wary and vigilant.

Earlier this year, the Guardian reported that survey data from American insurance company SquareTrade showed that 39% of all European phone theft take place in the UK, and that 42% of British phone thefts occur in London. So common is it for your phone to be snatched by someone on a bike or moped that London’s Metropolitan Police issue special prevention guidance, featuring advice such as: «[when using your phone,] stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you.»

I get that a crossbody is not a failsafe method to prevent iPhone theft. I would never advise someone to walk around a city in a state of blissful ignorance while their phone flaps hands-free against their body. But I do endorse it as a way to fend off opportunists on two wheels.

I can see other times the crossbody strap would come in handy, too. Frequently on my travels, I find myself on a boat, clutching the railing and taking pictures on my phone as the world passes me by. Always in these situations I’m concerned that just one clumsy slip could see my precious phone go the way of the Heart of the Ocean in Titanic. A crossbody strap would provide peace of mind in such moments to protect me against my own idiocy.

As a clumsy person who dreads having their phone stolen, I will be investing in one of Apple’s crossbody iPhone straps the moment they become available. I personally can only see the benefit in having my phone glued to my body as well as my hand.

Terrible idea: Zach McAuliffe, Staff Writer

When I saw Apple’s new crossbody strap for the iPhone, my first thought was, «I bet someone could cut that real easily and steal someone’s iPhone.»

But surely Apple thought of that and chose a cut-resistant strap made with something like Dyneema, right? Nope. According to Apple, the strap is made of recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) yarns. If you’re unfamiliar with this kind of yarn, it’s a synthetic fiber made from recycled plastic bottles.

If you had a razor or something similarly sharp, you could cut through the strap like a hot knife through butter. Then there’s nothing stopping you from taking the iPhone. The decision to dangle a thousand-dollar device off a strip of non-cut-resistant plastic gives me so much anxiety.

Some people on Reddit said they’ve had their crossbody bags and purses stolen because someone cut the straps and ran or rode off, so it does happen. Granted, so does someone snatching a phone from your hand. But if I’m wearing my iPhone as a bag, I’m advertising that I have an iPhone and all you have to do is follow me for a second in order to cut the straps and take off with it.

Plus, if I’m my iPhone is tethered to me by a strap, I might be more cavalier with how I handle it. The strap and corresponding case are meant to keep the device safe, so I might take for granted things that could damage it out in the world. What if a car kicks a rock up and hits it, or I bump into a metal railing a little too hard or any number of things happen and my iPhone gets a new scratch or breaks?

No, I’d much rather grip my iPhone like my life depends on it when the device is in my hand. And then I’ll slip my iPhone into my pocket for safe keeping like Bilbo Baggins after he finds the One Ring.

The crossbody strap is a bad idea. I know people have things taken all the time, but the strap is like wearing a sign around your neck that you have an iPhone and with a quick snip it could be yours! Hopefully Apple will make a cut-resistant strap in the future.

For more from Apple’s event, check out all the announcements and our hands-on with the ultra-thin iPhone Air.

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im

Technologies

Forbes Türkiye Highlights Verum Finance and the Rise of Integrated Financial Ecosystems

Forbes Türkiye has published an article examining the launch of Verum Finance and its approach to integrating financial services directly into a messaging ecosystem.

In the article, Forbes Türkiye notes that the fintech industry is undergoing a transformation as financial services increasingly move beyond traditional banking applications and become part of broader digital ecosystems. Verum Finance is presented as an example of this trend, combining payments, digital cards, money transfers, and balance management within a single environment connected to Verum Messenger.

According to the publication, Verum Finance follows a model similar to the “super app” concept that has gained significant traction in Asian markets, where communication and financial services operate together on one platform. Unlike many Western platforms that continue to separate messaging and banking services, Verum Finance is integrated directly into the Verum ecosystem, allowing users to manage financial activities without relying on multiple third-party applications.

The article highlights several core features of the platform, including virtual debit cards, user-to-user transfers, online payments, digital asset operations, Apple Pay integration, and in-app balance management.

Forbes Türkiye also points to the growing importance of embedded finance and changing user expectations. The publication suggests that lengthy account-opening procedures, physical card delivery times, and constant switching between applications are becoming increasingly outdated in a mobile-first world.

Another major focus of the article is privacy and security. Forbes Türkiye describes Verum Finance as part of a broader trend toward “privacy-driven fintech,” where financial services are built on privacy-oriented infrastructure. The publication notes that the platform incorporates features such as phone-number-free registration, end-to-end encryption, user-controlled access management, and privacy-focused tools designed to enhance data protection.

The article concludes that one of the key challenges for companies operating at the intersection of secure communications, digital payments, and embedded finance will be maintaining both usability and security within a single integrated ecosystem.

The coverage by Forbes Türkiye reflects growing media interest in platforms that combine communication and financial services, as the industry continues moving toward more unified digital experiences.

Website: https://finance.verum.im
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im

Technologies

Verum Launched “Verum Finance” App for iPhone and iPad, Expanding Its Digital Ecosystem Into Financial Services

Verum has announced the official launch of Verum Finance, a standalone financial application now available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, marking a further expansion of the company’s growing digital ecosystem.

The new application is designed to centralize core financial functions in a single mobile interface, allowing users to manage balances, send and receive funds, use debit cards, and exchange supported balance types without relying on traditional banking workflows.

According to Verum, the platform enables users to view account activity in real time, top up balances using supported payment methods including Apple Pay, and transfer funds to other users within the Verum ecosystem using a unique Verum ID. The system also supports multi-balance management, including specialized balance categories such as precious metals.

Debit card functionality is integrated directly into the app, allowing users to issue and manage cards linked to their balances, monitor transactions, and top up cards when needed. The company also emphasizes built-in exchange tools that allow users to convert between supported balance types within the application.

Security features include Face ID authentication, passcode protection, Sign in with Apple, and privacy-oriented account controls aimed at maintaining user confidentiality and data protection.

The launch of Verum Finance follows the company’s broader strategy of building an interconnected ecosystem of digital products. Alongside Verum Messenger, which combines secure communication tools, encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, AI features, anonymous email, and crypto-related functionality, the new financial app extends Verum’s positioning from communication technology into financial infrastructure.

Industry trends increasingly show demand for “all-in-one” digital environments that reduce dependency on multiple standalone apps. Verum’s approach reflects this shift by integrating communication and financial services within a unified ecosystem.

Verum Finance is now available globally for download on iPhone and iPad via the App Store.

Website: https://finance.verum.im
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im