Tag: accessory

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ZEISS Optical Inserts – Prescription (2024)

This essential Apple Vision Pro accessory is quite personal—perhaps unique—and I feel it deserves its own entry. ZEISS Optical Inserts for Apple Vision Pro allow users who need vision correction and do not wear contact lenses to experience the Apple Vision Pro with precise visual acuity. ZEISS describes the lenses:

“ZEISS and Apple are setting the standard for optical inserts. For those who need vision correction, ZEISS Optical Inserts reveal the stunning visual experience of Apple Vision Pro—so you can enjoy Apple’s new era of spatial computing.”

After sending ZEISS your eyeglasses prescription, they custom-build lenses for you. ZEISS describes that the lenses are “crafted especially for your eyes in your unique prescription.” The extremely lightweight inserts snap into the Apple Vision Pro with magnets. When in place, the Apple Vision Pro “recognizes” the unique prescription and sets up the device with my user profile. When I remove my inserts, the device prompts a user for “Guest User” mode.

If an Apple Vision Pro user uses off-the-shelf “readers,” ZEISS also offers “ZEISS Optical Inserts – Readers” that are available in three common refractive ranges:

  • SPH +0.75 to +1.25D
  • SPH +1.50 to +1.75D
  • SPH +2.00 to +2.75D

ZEISS describes their company as “a global technology leader in the fields of optics, precision mechanics, and optoelectronics…shaping progress and advancing the world of optics for over 175 years.” In addition to optical lenses, the company works in the fields of microchip production, medical research, complex brain and eye surgeries, and award-winning films.

Sources: Apple, ZEISS

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Apple Vision Pro Solo Knit Band (M, 2024)

The Apple Vision Pro Apple Vision Pro Solo Knit Band is one of the required accessories that ships with the Apple Vision Pro and is custom-sized to the user. When purchasing an Apple Vision Pro, an app scans a user’s face and helps the user select an appropriately sized Solo Knit Band.

Solo Knit Bands were available in 3 sizes: S, M and L. This example is a size M. The size of the band is woven into the inside left of the band, near the orange release tab.

This Solo Knit Band is a replacement sold in retail packaging. The Product Information indicates:

“Designed for Apple Vision Pro, the Solo Knit Band is 3D knitted as a single piece to create a unique rib structure that provides cushioning, breathability, and stretch. It has an easy-to-reach Fit Dial to let you adjust Apple Vision Pro to your head and enables microadjustments during use. The Solo Knit Band attaches to the Audio Straps with a simple and secure mechanism, and the release tabs allow you to detach it when needed.”

Among the two original options, the Solo Knit Band is my favorite in terms of comfort, and it has the least negative effect on my hair. In 2025, an new variant of this product was introduced, called the Apple Vision Pro Dual Knit Band. The second knit band extends over the head and has a separate Fit Dial adjustment.

Source: Apple (Solo Knit Band, Dual Knit Band)

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Apple Vision Pro Light Seal Cushion (W, 2024)

The Apple Vision Pro Light Seal Cushion is one of the required accessories that ships with the Apple Vision Pro and is custom-sized to the user. When purchasing an Apple Vision Pro, an app scans a user’s face and helps the user select an appropriately sized Light Seal Cushion.

Light Seal Cushions were available in 4 sizes: N, N+, W, and W+ (the letters likely indicated “Narrow” and “Wide” sizes). This example is a size W.

This Light Seal Cushion is a replacement sold in retail packaging. The Product Information section is very sparse, noting only:

“The Apple Vision Pro Light Seal Cushion magnetically attaches to the Apple Vision Pro Light Seal and can be easily removed for cleaning.”

In addition to listing the sizes, the Highlights list only: Attaches magnetically and Hand washable.

Source: Apple

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AirTag Leather Key Ring (Midnight, 2021)

The AirTag Leather Key Ring was designed to contain an Apple AirTag, a small, disc-shaped accessory that uses Apple’s Find My network to easily locate items.

According to Apple:

“The leather key ring is thoughtfully crafted from the finest materials. The stainless steel is as striking as it is strong, while the European leather is specially tanned and soft to the touch. And it fits snugly over your AirTag, so you never have to worry about it falling out.”

When The AirTag was released, “a wide range of Apple-designed AirTag accessories” were also available. Accessories included: a Polyurethane Loop, a Leather Loop, and a Leather Key Ring. In addition, Apple and Hermès introduced the AirTag Hermès with an “assortment of handcrafted leather accessories including the Bag Charm, Key Ring, Travel Tag, and Luggage Tag.” The Hermès accessories were sold with a custom-engraved AirTag with the Hermès Clou de Selle logo.

The The AirTag Leather Key Ring was originally available in three colors including Baltic Blue, Saddle Brown, and (PRODUCT)RED. This example is in Saddle Brown.

Sources: Apple (Store, Newsroom)

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iPhone Crossbody Strap (Black, 2025)

The iPhone Crossbody Strap was a new accessory in 2025 among a couple brand new additions released along with the iPhone 17 family of iPhones. Apple noted in the iPhone 17 Pro press release:

“The new Crossbody Strap can be paired with the TechWoven Case and Silicone Case, giving users a hands-free way to wear iPhone. Crafted from 100 percent recycled yarn, the smooth strap drapes comfortably, with embedded flexible magnets and stainless steel sliding mechanisms to easily adjust the length and keep both straps securely aligned.”

Impressively, the Crossbody Strap was available in 10 colors(!), including black, light gray, blue, light blue, purple, sienna, green, neon yellow, tan, and orange. This example is black. To my eye, this color lends a certain Star Trek: The Original Series tricorder vibe when paired with a black TechWoven iPhone 17 Pro case, but I digress.

Apple’s product page offered more details and reported it was “Beautifully crafted from 100 percent recycled PET yarns, the smooth, narrow woven straps drape comfortably across the body.” Further, “Embedded flexible magnets with stainless steel sliding mechanisms allow you to effortlessly adjust the length for the perfect fit, while keeping both straps securely and neatly aligned.”

While some reviewers initially viewed the Crossbody Strap with “bemusement,” others, such as Jess Weatherbed at Verge noted:

“Pockets have been a longstanding issue with women’s clothing in particular—fashion designers started shrinking or removing them entirely in the late 1940s because they interfered with the form-fitting silhouettes popularized by Christian Dior’s ‘New Look.’ Bags and purses became the de facto replacement, but phones have since evolved to replace most of the stuff we carry. You can use an iPhone to make payments, check your makeup, read a book, and even unlock doors. You don’t need to carry a bag, but most still need to carry that phone.”

At its release, the iPhone Crossbody Strap was compatible with seven different iPhone cases:

  • iPhone Air Bumper
  • iPhone Air Case with MagSafe
  • Silicone Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17)
  • TechWoven Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max)
  • Silicone Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max)

Apple lists that the maximum strap length is 81.9 inches (2080 mm), and may be shortened to a minimum strap length of 42.5 inches (1080 mm).

This black Crossbody Strap is photographed along with Apple’s purple TechWoven Case for the iPhone 17 Pro.

Sources: Apple (newsroom, product page), 9to5Mac, The Verge

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iPhone Crossbody Strap (Light Blue, 2025)

The iPhone Crossbody Strap was a new accessory in 2025 among a couple brand new additions released along with the iPhone 17 family of iPhones. Apple noted in the iPhone 17 Pro press release:

“The new Crossbody Strap can be paired with the TechWoven Case and Silicone Case, giving users a hands-free way to wear iPhone. Crafted from 100 percent recycled yarn, the smooth strap drapes comfortably, with embedded flexible magnets and stainless steel sliding mechanisms to easily adjust the length and keep both straps securely aligned.”

Impressively, the Crossbody Strap was available in 10 colors(!), including black, light gray, blue, light blue, purple, sienna, green, neon yellow, tan, and orange. This example is light blue.

Apple’s product page offered more details and reported it was “Beautifully crafted from 100 percent recycled PET yarns, the smooth, narrow woven straps drape comfortably across the body.” Further, “Embedded flexible magnets with stainless steel sliding mechanisms allow you to effortlessly adjust the length for the perfect fit, while keeping both straps securely and neatly aligned.”

While some reviewers initially viewed the Crossbody Strap with “bemusement,” others, such as Jess Weatherbed at Verge noted:

“Pockets have been a longstanding issue with women’s clothing in particular—fashion designers started shrinking or removing them entirely in the late 1940s because they interfered with the form-fitting silhouettes popularized by Christian Dior’s ‘New Look.’ Bags and purses became the de facto replacement, but phones have since evolved to replace most of the stuff we carry. You can use an iPhone to make payments, check your makeup, read a book, and even unlock doors. You don’t need to carry a bag, but most still need to carry that phone.”

At its release, the iPhone Crossbody Strap was compatible with seven different iPhone cases:

  • iPhone Air Bumper
  • iPhone Air Case with MagSafe
  • Silicone Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17)
  • TechWoven Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max)
  • Silicone Case with MagSafe (iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max)

Apple lists that the maximum strap length is 81.9 inches (2080 mm), and may be shortened to a minimum strap length of 42.5 inches (1080 mm).

Sources: Apple (newsroom, product page), 9to5Mac, The Verge

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Beats iPhone 17 Pro Case with MagSafe & Camera Control (Granite Gray, 2025)

This is a somewhat rare example in my collection of a Beats accessory. Beats has been owned by Apple since 2014 as “a leading audio brand founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine” that primarily sells “premium consumer headphones, earphones, and speakers,” and now—for some reason—iPhone cases that have nothing to do with audio.

Because Beats is owned by Apple, it is no surprise that the cases feature Apple-specific features such as MagSafe and Camera Control (although third-party accessories also include these features).

Somewhat unusually, the Apple and Beats websites describe this product differently. Apple followed a format closer to its other case products with descriptions such as:

“The strong polycarbonate back is complemented by flexible sidewalls to optimize shock absorption, while making the case thin and light. The outer matte finish reduces signs of scratches, smudges, and fingerprints, and the inner microfiber lining gently reduces surface scratches and abrasion.”

Apple also noted that “undergone thousands of hours of testing throughout the design and manufacturing process,” a statement similar to the durability statement on Apple-branded cases.

Apple listed highlights as:

  • Durable double-shot design
  • Strong hardshell back
  • Shock-absorbing sidewalls
  • Soft microfiber lining
  • Matte finish
  • Compatible with MagSafe and Camera Control

On the other hand, the Beats website described the case primarily through videos, pictures, and short text snippets. For example, the text “Scratch & drop protection. Strong hardshell back with shock-absorbing sidewalls,” and a looping 5-second video showing its durability. 11 photos were included on the Beats website, while Apple only featured 6.

This case was offered in four colors: Bedrock Blue, Lime Stone, Pebble Pink, and the color of this example, Granite Gray.

Sources: Beats (About, product page), Apple (product page)

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Beats iPhone 17 Pro Kickstand Case with MagSafe & Camera Control (Granite Gray, 2025)

This is a somewhat rare example in my collection of a Beats accessory. Beats has been owned by Apple since 2014 as “a leading audio brand founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine” that primarily sells “premium consumer headphones, earphones, and speakers,” and now—for some reason—iPhone cases that have nothing to do with audio.

Because Beats is owned by Apple, it is no surprise that the cases feature Apple-specific features such as MagSafe and Camera Control (although third-party accessories also include these features).

Somewhat unusually, the Apple and Beats websites describe this product differently. Apple followed a format closer to its other case products with descriptions such as:

“Built to protect your iPhone from scratches and drops, this case also features a convenient, removable lanyard that doubles as a kickstand for hands-free landscape viewing. To create the kickstand, an adapter at the end of the lanyard slides open and attaches to a magnetic point on the side of the case.”

Apple also noted that “The Beats iPhone 17 Pro Kickstand Case with MagSafe and Camera Control has undergone thousands of hours of testing throughout the design and manufacturing process,” a statement similar to Apple-branded cases.

Apple described the case: “The strong polycarbonate back, which is complemented by flexible sidewalls to optimize shock absorption, makes the case thin and light. The outer matte finish reduces signs of scratches, smudges, and fingerprints, while the interior microfiber lining gently reduces surface scratches and abrasion.

On the other hand, the Beats website described the case primarily through videos, pictures, and short text snippets. For example, the kickstand featured the text “Quick stand. The removable lanyard easily converts to a kickstand for hands-free landscape viewing,” and included a looping 5-second video showing the kickstand feature. 11 photos were included on the Beats website, while Apple only featured 6.

This case was offered in four colors: Bedrock Blue, Lime Stone, Pebble Pink, and the color of this example, Granite Gray.

Sources: Beats (About, product page), Apple (product page)

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Trail Loop (Yellow/Beige, M/L, Fall 2022)

The Apple Watch Trail Loop was released along with the Apple Watch Ultra on September 7, 2022. The Apple Watch Ultra “brings a new bold design and a wide range of features built for endurance, exploration, and adventure.”

In the original press release, Apple described the Trail Loop as one of its “New Bands Designed for the Great Outdoors.” Apple added:

“Designed specifically for endurance athletes and runners, the Trail Loop band is the thinnest Apple Watch band to date. The lightweight woven textile is both soft and flexible, allowing it to cinch to the optimal fit, and the convenient tab is designed for quick and easy adjustment.”

Apple’s product page described the Trail Loop:

“The thin, lightweight Trail Loop is made from a nylon weave creating a soft band with increased elasticity for a comfortable fit. The band is infinitely adjustable with a convenient pull tab for quick adjustments on the go.”

This Trail Loop is Yellow/Beige. The main inner field of the band is beige. One edge of the band is light gray and the other edge is yellow. The connectors are made of the same color titanium as the Apple Watch Ultra. The band has a beige closure tab that is stitched to the main band with yellow thread.

All Apple Watch Ultra models fit the single-size 49mm case. The Trail Loop is made primarily of nylon.

Source: Apple (Product, Newsroom)

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iPod nano Tubes (5-pack, 2005)

This set of Tubes for the Apple iPod nano was released in 2005 along with the iPod nano Generation 1. Apple described the Tubes:

“Just slip your Apple iPod nano in from the bottom or through the screen window of one of these iPod nano tubes to add a splash of style and protection from scratches and bumps.”

Upon its release, Apple described the iPod nano as “the most fashionable and wearable iPod ever,” apparently because it featured a variety of wearable accessories. The Apple-designed accessories included a lanyard, an armband, and this “optional set of iPod nano Tubes in pink, purple, blue, green, and clear [that] offers fashionable protection in a sheer casing while enabling full operation of all functions including the Click Wheel.”

Each Tube is a “smooth, treated silicon design [that] resists dirt and stains.” The silicone is thinner over the Click Wheel and hold switch to allow operation of the iPod nano while it’s in the case.

Source: Apple