Hands-On With Apple's iPhone 12 MagSafe Wallet Attachment

[MacRumors]

Alongside the MagSafe cases and the MagSafe Charger that Apple introduced with the iPhone 12, there's also a Leather Wallet that has magnets at the back so it can attach right to an iPhone as an add-on accessory. Leather Wallets became available for purchase over the weekend, so we picked one up to see if it's a worthwhile alternative to a traditional wallet.

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Design wise, the $59 iPhone Leather Wallet comes in a soft European leather that's available in Baltic Blue, California Poppy (a deep yellow color with a bit of orange), Saddle Brown, and Black. It's lightweight, compact, and minimal, and it looks great on the back of an iPhone.

You can fit somewhere around two to three cards in the Leather Wallet, and it's best not to attempt to add in more because leather is known for stretching and wearing. At the back of the Leather Wallet, there's a little cutout for the thumb that's meant to make it simple to slide a card out, but it takes some time to master the gesture due to the fit of the cards inside.

A three card capacity may work for some people, but for those who have multiple credit cards plus a driver's license or ID, the Leather Wallet might not be ideal. The Leather Wallet can attach directly to an iPhone 12 or to a MagSafe case, and it displays a little animation on the iPhone's screen to let you know when it's connected.

When it comes to magnet strength, the magnet in the Leather Wallet is strong enough to adhere to the case and remain in place when shaking the iPhone vigorously, but we're skeptical that it's going to stay in place during routine daily use.

If you tap the Leather Wallet a few times, it pops right off, but the biggest issue is how it interacts with pockets. When tucking the iPhone with Leather Wallet into a pocket, care needs to be used. If you don't align it right, there's a chance the iPhone could go in the pocket while the Wallet slides right off, and the same goes for taking it out.

The magnetic connection isn't strong enough to adhere the Leather Wallet solidly to the iPhone when the force of a pocket is involved, and if you're not careful, you could have a mishap where the Wallet comes off during regular use. Your cards are going to be more secure if you're not planning to pocket your iPhone, but if you do plan to get the Leather Wallet and use it as normal, grip the wallet and the phone tightly when inserting and removing it from pockets to make sure the Wallet doesn't detach accidentally.

Those who have more than three cards that are carried regularly or those who want the freedom to use a wallet without having to be concerned about attachment issues should probably opt out of the Leather Wallet, but it has the potential to be a useful accessory for those who are careful and those who prefer a minimal look and wallet experience.

Article Link: Hands-On With Apple's iPhone 12 MagSafe Wallet Attachment

 

[hagjohn]

Sorry, but duh! Hard to believe nobody thought it wouldn't fall off?

 

[GizmoDVD]

Seems like a fail....damn. This looked really cool.

 

[loanhighknight]

Having played with the iPhone 12 Pro's magnets a bit, my strong strong sense is that MagSafe got way too much early praise. The magnet strength is too weak to be of much use.

Magnets are generally good at keeping something from moving perpendicular away from the surface of the magnet, but they are generally bad at keeping something from moving laterally across them. That's why this wallet falls off the way it does, and it's why MagSafe is no good for iPhone mounts for cars. It's probably enough for selfie-sticks and gimbals, but there's little reason in those environments to rely on something that doesn't have a super firm grip.

In a sense, the iPhone implementation is the OPPOSITE of MagSafe on the Mac, where magnets were used because their strength could be overcome by a little force. All of the iPhone implementations except for that ridiculous puck charger are for things that you want to stick and stay put reliably.

Super disappointing.

 

[Andy-V]

Obviously this isn't a major product, but could this be the worst idea for a product Apple has had in decades? I would never put my cards in this thing.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I can only dream of a future where all businesses support Apple Pay and where you can have an ID on your phone and avoid carrying any wallets all together. Maybe someday.

 

[sniffies]

Epic fail

No, not that Epic™

 

[Mitsjke]

That's a design failure. When did they come up with this? 2 hours before the keynote?

I think I am going for a walk outside the Apple Store hoping for some lost wallets with folded $100 bills instead of a card

 

[itsmilo]

A pick pocketers dream. Now you are doing the job for them and all they have to do is picking it up from the ground. I can’t imagine feeling save with this on a subway

 

[The Game 161]

Seems to work better on silcome cases but still

 

[vinegarshots]

I wonder how many millions of dollars of R&D Apple spent developing this total fail of an accessory "ecosystem"? Biggest over-promise/under-deliver by Apple in a long time.

 

[shk718]

I noticed that with a MagSafe case the wallet seems to have more magnetic "stick" I think the phone magnet and the case magnet seem to "double" up and provide more power...

 

[DotCom2]

Why wouldn't you turn your iPhone around the other way? With the wallet toward your body? I still won't be getting this but just wondering.

 

[Nozuka]

Probably works better with a (magsafe) case, because it's less slippery than the glass back.
But still a fail...

 

[Andy-V]

Why wouldn't you turn your iPhone around the other way? With the wallet toward your body? I still won't be getting this but just wondering.

It would probably work better. But you shouldn't have to worry about how you put your phone in your pocket.

"You're putting your phone in your pocket wrong"

 

[BradWI]

A month from now Apple will start sending double sided adhesive tape to wallet buyers to secure it better...

 

[rjp1]

I tried a car phone holder this weekend with an iPhone 12 Pro and my phone went flying when we went over a bump in the road. Magsafe is way too weak to be useful.

 

[rmoliv]

One of the most ridiculous “accessories” ever made by Apple.

 

[goobot]

Apple is pushing this cause there is little to differentiate the 12pro from the 11pro

 

[Jbusick7944]

Hmm. Might want to blur out those credit card numbers in the video.

 

[tgwaste]

The whole iphone release this year is a fail imo
o the 12 pro isnt that impressive
o the sizes are stupid (i didnt want to go smaller and I didnt want to go bigger).
o the camera in low light still sucks (it really does)
o the video camera stutters because that night mode garbage is on by default
o the magsafe is stupid because the magnets arent strong enough
o no leather case on release day (i mean REALLY??)
o the scrolling in some apps on ios14 still stutters (its like fix this... is this android or iphone)
o paying $62 for magsafe plus adapter is BAT S%#T CRAZY
and on and on....

Too bad all the reviewers only want to kiss Apples butt and not do honest reviews.

 

[AppleMango]

Maybe they could save the environment next year and offer stronger magnets at an additional 20$ to make this product work 😷.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Good video, Dan.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

it's better to have an accessory than to not have anything. You are not forced to buy this accessory and I just see people whining for the sake of whining.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The whole iphone release this year is a fail imo
o the 12 pro isnt that impressive
o the sizes are stupid (i didnt want to go smaller and I didnt want to go bigger).
o the camera in low light still sucks (it really does)
o the video camera stutters because that night mode garbage is on by default
o the magsafe is stupid because the magnets arent strong enough
o no leather case on release day (i mean REALLY??)
o the scrolling in some apps on ios14 still stutters (its like fix this... is this android or iphone)
o paying $62 for magsafe plus adapter is BAT S%#T CRAZY
and on and on....

Too bad all the reviewers only want to kiss Apples butt and not do honest reviews.

A fail for you since you won’t be buying, as you don’t like the offering. It is a score for millions of other people.