Technologies

Apple’s iPhone Pocket Is a $230 Gadget Mankini. We Tried It Out to Size It Up

The stretchy fabric satchel for your iPhone makes a fashion statement. CNET’s Bridget Carey wore it and waved it, and dubbed the iPhone Pocket «Apple’s Labubu.»

Remember iPod socks? Those brightly colored woolly wraps that swaddled your iPod like it was an infant? Apple sold them starting in 2004 for the better part of a decade. In things we did not have on our bingo card for 2025, Apple has decided now is the time to bring back the knitwear for the latest iPhones.

Meet the iPhone Pocket: a glorified yarn sling for your phone and whatever else you can cram in there without stretching the poor thing into oblivion. If we’re being catty, it does look a bit like a sweater you shrank in the wash and then tried to stretch out. Or maybe a mankini.

But hey, it could just be the zhuzh you’re looking for.

The iPhone Pocket is on sale now, but you can’t walk into just any old Apple Store and get it. Apple is selling it in 10 select shopping locales, like SoHo in New York, Regent Street in London, Marché Saint-Germain in Paris and Orchard Road in Singapore. Everyone else will just have to order it online like it’s from Temu.

High fashion does not come cheap. The short strap design will set you back $150, while the long strap version costs $230.

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Getting our hands on an iPhone Pocket

On Friday, the first day the iPhone Pocket went on sale, CNET’s Bridget Carey picked up one each of the long and short versions (blue and pink, respectively) at the Apple Store in fashion-centric SoHo, the only Apple retail store selling it in the US. Customers there could go hands-on with the woven slings, giving the Pocket a stretch or sample slipping their iPhones into it.

The longer, crossbody model held Carey’s phone securely, and she felt confident wearing it around New York throughout the day. She also put it through some impromptu testing. «I’ve been swinging it around and stuffing other items in it,» she said. «I’ve even tied it around my neck as a scarf and put it on my foot as a sock.»

So far, the Pocket has kept its shape. The material has some spring to it, and Carey thinks she could take it on errands with her kids and not have to worry. But it’s not tough enough for the washing machine. Instructions inside say the Pocket is to be hand washed and should not go in the dryer.

One of Apple’s suggestions for accessorizing with the iPhone Pocket, if you’re not doing crossbody, is to tie it onto the bag you’re carrying. That was not Carey’s first inclination. «I’m not sure I would feel comfortable hanging my phone like a keychain on my bag,» she said. «But I still wanted to get a short Pocket because, well, I wanted to have a bit of fashion history. And I love pink.»

If she does go the bag-Pocket route, Carey said, «I’ll hook my Labubu off it, too. After all, this is Apple’s Labubu now, a hard-to-find fashion accessory that hangs on your bag.»

The fashion sense of the iPhone Pocket

Apple designed the iPhone Pocket in collaboration with fashion brand Issey Miyake, the designer behind the endless supply of black turtlenecks worn by Steve Jobs (and an Apple employee uniform that almost happened).

I’m no fashion expert, but fashion writer Tiffany Lo is, and she told me «the design embodies Issey Miyake’s signature pleat pattern and the idea of crafting it from a single piece of fabric. It’s instantly recognizable.»

The iPhone Pocket is a stretchy 3D-knitted pouch with ribbed textures that hugs your iPhone. It’s see-through when you tug at it, so you can glimpse your lockscreen. But Apple wants you to put more than your iPhone in this accessory. You’re encouraged to slip in AirPods, lip balm, a key fob, breath mints or any other pocketable item. The shorter iPhone Pocket is more like a wristlet bag, while the longer one turns your iPhone into a crossbody accessory.

The wearable tech pouch is certainly a fashion statement if you decide to drape it across your torso, perhaps like a sash of questionable decisions. Whether you carry it in-hand, tie it to your bag, or sling it on like a fashion-forward postman, you will definitely get some looks, perhaps confused ones. The short strap version comes in eight colors: lemon, mandarin, purple, pink, peacock, sapphire, cinnamon and black. The long strap comes only in those latter three colors.

So who is the iPhone Pocket for? Lo says it «could appeal to younger generations thanks to the design that allows users to wear it as a crossbody.» Given that Apple released crossbody straps for all its iPhones earlier this year, maybe it has some insights into what Gen Z really wants. Is it worth the $230, or even $150? Yes or no, it’s a far cry from the $29 the iPod socks went for back in the day.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

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