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Twelve South Debuts 'SurfacePad' MagSafe-Compatible Wallet Folio for iPhone 12

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Tagbert said:
This looks like a nice product but I would be concerned about it not really offering any drop protection. I don't need to protect the front and back of the phone. If I drop the phone, it is most likely going to land on a corner and do damage. This doesn't look like it will offer any corner protection.
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If you read their website, they claim it only protects your phone from your keys in your pocket or from getting a scratch when it's on a table. They specifically say you need to add a real case if you're going to do something which might involve dropping your phone.

So this case is actually pointless - it offers no drop protection. That's the reason we put on cases!
 
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Makes me nervous just looking at that design choice. Zero protection.

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I’ll take a hard pass on this one. MagBak makes a magnetic case and wallet that is far superior to Apples attempt at this.
 
I had a few of these Twelve South wallet folios, and the last one was absolute garbage quality. The card slots quickly warped out of shape, and I didn’t have many cards in there. The one time I knocked it off the counter, the phone fell and the folio cover opened perfectly to allow the phone to land on its screen. I will never buy one of their products again.
 
It should completely surround the camera. Its a cop-out they way they did it and it looks terrible.
 
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sw1tcher said:
How are you going to track a phone when it's turned off or battery is dead and SIM card is removed?
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Find My in iOS 15 supports this. Also you’re assuming the wallet is stolen, when it’s more likely just lost.
 
I like pulling my phone out my pocket to take random pictures and I always use landscape not instagrammy mode so this would be a hard no for me. Looks as if the flap would cover the lens and it would be hard to get to the volume button to take the picture. I also don't use the big white dot as a shutter control. That is just me and my way of doing things so it would be too much in the way for me.
 
Why is the area around the camera completely unprotected? Why intentionally leave one of the most vulnerable parts of the phone open to damage, especially when aesthetically it looks like trash?
 
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I’m not really a case guy. I’ve had every iteration of iPhone since the ‘07 launch day device. It wasn’t until my X that I opted for a case. And even then, I only tossed it in the case when I went camping or something. The vast majority of my day to day, like 98%, is sans case.

That said, I have long-admired the folio option, tho I’ve never rocked one. The screen sizes of these devices makes Pencil support super possible, IMHO. A Fields Notes user, I fancy the day our handhelds offer Pencil support (please no reposts of Steve’s angle on the stylus, we all remember what he said). Should that day arrive, a folio might make its way into my daily .

That said, this folio was mildly tempting (enough for me to go to their site to learn more). But the moment I realized the case neglected to connect via MagSafe in favor of an adhesive, I was out (not that I was every, truly in). Maybe I missed it, but why on earth would that have not been attachable via MagSafe? Magnets too weak? If so, shame. Could be a cool concept if it weren’t for the adhesive. Who on earth would put adhesive in their iPhone? Oh right, PopSockets users. **shudders**
 
I would be happy if Apple take the iPad “smart foilo” and shrink it down for the iPhone. Same fit, finish and functions - flip it all the back and it stays put while talking on the phone - flip one of 2 flaps back and that snap in place as I take a picture. And the cover snaps back in place to protect the screen before I put it back in my pocket. How nice would that be. Nothing loose that can rub against the screen.
 
bb9 said:
I would be happy if Apple take the iPad “smart folio” and shrink it down for the iPhone. Same fit, finish and functions - flip it all the back and it stays put while talking on the phone - flip one of 2 flaps back and that snap in place as I take a picture. And the cover snaps back in place to protect the screen before I put it back in my pocket. How nice would that be. Nothing loose that can rub against the screen.
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Now increase the thickness of all front and back panels and turn it into a “battery” Smart Folio.
 
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I think it's a nice start, but the adhesive is a non-starter for me. For those that are saying it's slower to open and check, I agree. I miss the leather folio case Apple made that had wake/sleep magnets, which really sped checking notifications. For those that don't get why a folio is nice, it REALLY helps keep the phone from getting banged up in a purse (or a bag for those non-purse-users out there).

I bought a nice folio case from Etsy, ripped out the terrible plastic, glued-in holder, and stuck in magsafe-compatible magnets. Now I can have the folio when the phone is in my purse, use the phone caseless in my pocket when I feel like it with next to no effort, or pop a magsafe silicon case on the phone and stick that to the magnets in the folio when I go adventure mode for optimal fall protection. The magnets make it easy to pick and choose.

IMG_3337.jpegIMG_3336.jpegPhoto on 6-15-21 at 2.50 PM.jpg
 
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There is nothing Magsafe about this at all, not a good look for Twelve South, false advertising!
 
PhantomSoul said:
Why adhesive instead of magnetic attachment? This is a major miss to me, and maybe even undermines the new MagSafe feature.

Also card pressure on the screen is a real risk, even with the newer cards that no longer have any embossed legend. And I totally agree that unless you use an Apple Watch to quickly scan notifications, a folding wallet case is super clumsy to have to open just to peek at a new notification.

This is a hard pass for me.
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I've owned a previous version of this case-I ordered some AirStick micro suction adhesive and hacked the case with it, and it worked wonderfully.

I was, however, disappointed with the small scratches that my cards put on my screen. Which is why I no longer use wallet cases.
 
ebika said:
I think it's a nice start, but the adhesive is a non-starter for me. For those that are saying it's slower to open and check, I agree. I miss the leather folio case Apple made that had wake/sleep magnets, which really sped checking notifications. For those that don't get why a folio is nice, it REALLY helps keep the phone from getting banged up in a purse (or a bag for those non-purse-users out there).

I bought a nice folio case from Etsy, ripped out the terrible plastic, glued-in holder, and stuck in magsafe-compatible magnets. Now I can have the folio when the phone is in my purse, use the phone caseless in my pocket when I feel like it with next to no effort, or pop a magsafe silicon case on the phone and stick that to the magnets in the folio when I go adventure mode for optimal fall protection. The magnets make it easy to pick and choose.

View attachment 1793726View attachment 1793724View attachment 1793725
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Great idea! I have been looking for some MagSafe magnets like you have in your case. Would you be prepared to share where you got them from? If it was Amazon or Ebay, do you know which seller? TIA
 
Cinimod1000 said:
Great idea! I have been looking for some MagSafe magnets like you have in your case. Would you be prepared to share where you got them from? If it was Amazon or Ebay, do you know which seller? TIA
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I picked them on Amazon, use /gp/product/B08QR92RJD for the Amazon URI. They're ok quality, good enough for this purpose.
 
ebika said:
I picked them on Amazon, use /gp/product/B08QR92RJD for the Amazon URI. They're ok quality, good enough for this purpose.
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Thank you very much for digging this up for me, really appreciate it. Do they hold the phone and wallet together pretty securely?
 
Cinimod1000 said:
Thank you very much for digging this up for me, really appreciate it. Do they hold the phone and wallet together pretty securely?
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I’m able to hold the front flap and the magnets will support the weight of the iPhone. It’s not super strong though. Shaking will dislodge the phone. With the snap closed, it protects against falls ok. Putting a silicon apple MagSafe case to stick to the magnets is even better, just a bit bulkier.
 
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