A recent leak speculated that the new Apple Watch Series 7 may come in a 41mm and 45mm case size! This is just one of the many little tidbits about the upcoming Apple Watch that have been circulating around. Other rumors also include that the Apple Watch Series 7 may be revealed at Apple’s September 2021 event! And the potential redesigns for it have been getting us super excited. As we sit with our fingers crossed, with excitement lingering in the air, waiting for Apple’s latest smartwatch to make its debut, we may as well prepare for it. I, for one, am already looking for some pretty cool accessories to perfectly complement and jazz up the upcoming smartwatch. It’s already anticipated to be quite powerful, so why not give it an even bigger power-packed punch with an assortment of innovative accessories. From a watch case that looks like an iPod to an accessory that lets you wear your Apple Watch as an armband for an improved workout experience – these accessories are the sidekicks the Apple Watch Series 7 may just need!
Is that a new iPod?! Nope! It’s the Apple Watch in its coolest, old-schoolest external case yet! Joyce Kang and C.O Design Lab’s Pod Case gives the Apple Watch a much-needed history lesson, introducing it to the ancestor that started the Apple craze. The watch’s screen roughly matches the screen size found in classic iPod Nanos, while its body is only a slight bit thicker. The Pod Case, made in silicone, slides right over the Apple Watch body, giving it a funky throwback, while also letting you use the watch as-is. On the other hand, it’s a very comfortable feeling to use the latest tech with a product we have loved for a while. Obviously, the jog-wheel on the front is a dummy one (although it could work if it connected via Bluetooth), but the watch can easily be navigated using the touch-screen. Besides, this one comes with heavy-duty speakers of its own too!
The smartwatch straps from Bellroy come with a durable elastomer base for comfort and to prevent slipping, but are then finished off with a wonderfully eye-catching eco-tanned leather top. The leather-elastomer blend gives the watch the best of both worlds. The leather brings back the watch’s most trusted strap material, giving the watch an authentically classic appeal, while the elastomer base on the strap prevents it from slipping on your wrist. Since the Apple Watch’s main hardware is fairly heavier than most regular watches, it succumbs to the effects of gravity, which is why having a rubbery base to the strap helps. A texture on the underside also promotes breathability, so the strap never makes your skin feel sweaty.
The NightWatch is an Apple Watch dock that comes with a massive curved glass element on the front that magnifies its screen. Dock your watch behind the massive lens and it makes your watch-screen larger, enhancing its visibility manifold. Designed to turn your charging smartwatch into a much more efficient bedside clock, the NightWatch does more than just increase visibility… it enhances your watch’s audio too, amplifying it to make your alarm much more audible. The NightWatch is a pretty simple accessory that enhances your Apple Watch’s abilities. It doesn’t come with its own charger but will let you hook your watch’s charger into it. Once assembled, you can easily slide your Apple Watch into its unique design, and that calibrated glass lens on the front enlarges the screen like a magnifying glass would, making numbers much more visible when your watch is in Nightstand mode.
Apple accessory designer Twelve South has released the ActionSleeve 2. The ActionSleeve 2’s unique design ensures the Apple Watch Series 4 (and later) always remains in constant contact with the body, so there is no discrepancy in tracking parameters on the Fitness app. Most of us would prefer wearing the Apple Watch in its default position and deem the band worthless. In fact, that would be the case until you want to put on a pair of boxing gloves! The ActionSleeve 2 armband is meticulously designed to give people more flexibility to keep using the Apple Watch when an activity or sporting gear may restrict wearing it on the wrist or lead to discomfort. “If you’ve ever changed your Apple Watch band, you already know how ActionSleeve 2 works: 1. remove your current Apple Watch band, 2. push the Apple Watch “body” into the back of ActionSleeve 2 and 3. strap ActionSleeve 2 on, tighten and go. Your screen, crown, and button remain fully accessible and functional.” Twelve South explains.
Inspired by the daily sunrise, industrial designer Taesung Yoon has thought of the 2 in 1 Apple Devices Charging Stand (yes, that’s the name of this accessory) that does what it says. Designed after feedback from the data-driven research and realizing what people actually want in their unified Apple charging stand, this accessory has been cleverly designed for form and function. The charging stand’s vertical stance with a slightly arched top means that the iPhone sits comfortably without the fear of accidentally toppling it over with an accidental shove. Likewise, the possibility of using it for watching multimedia content is also there. The same port is used for charging the AirPods Pro when needed. Right behind this port is the space for setting up the Apple Watch for refueling in style. So, you can charge your iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time.
The Grovemade Cork Apple Watch Dock is a refreshing take on the usual Apple Watch charging docks we come across. The dock has been created from premium materials, including the ever-sustainable cork! The Apple Watch dock is quite compact and flat, so it can easily fit into any space, including your bedside table or your work desk. The base was made using stainless steel, which features a sturdy anchor, that prevents your watch from sliding or falling off. The upper section was crafted from cork and has been equipped with a little divot in the center to cradle and support your watch. Not to mention, this dock design is quite stylish, sleek, and sustainable!
Designed as a pretty nifty throwback to Apple’s golden era of the iPod, Elago’s W6 stand is a perfect tribute to one of Apple’s most ground-breaking products ever! The W6 takes on a more recent ancestor of the Watch, the iPod Classic, which made its debut in 2001, nearly twenty years ago! A modern reinterpretation of the old plastic-and-metal device, the W6 stand is tiny and comes made from silicon, allowing it to flex as you slide your Watch in, and preventing it from accidental bumps or scratches with its shock-absorbing exterior.
The OMNIA Q5 is a nifty docking and charging station that replaces your drawer of cables. Designed as a slick, compact dock that can fit on even the smallest night-stand, or the corner of your work-desk, the OMNIA Q5 lets you organize and charge all your Apple gadgets at once, supplying the right amount of power to each one of them to charge them rapidly and simultaneously. Designed to be an integral part of your ecosystem of Apple products, the OMNIA Q5 acts as an organizer for your gadgets. It docks them in individually assigned areas (so they’re always neatly arranged) and charges them too – wirelessly for the most part, except the iPad which needs a cable with USB-C input.
With all the possible goodness – health and fitness tracking and everything – Apple Watch cannot click pictures standalone, it remotely triggers the iPhone to pull off the trick. This is where the Wristcam steps in, giving Apple Watch the ability to click pictures by itself. The front-mounted 8MP camera can shoot images in 4K resolution while recording videos in Full HD. The selfie camera can be used for video calling – or either camera for live-streaming. The Wristcam comes with its own 8GB of storage and a battery good enough for a day’s fun. According to the company, the Wristcam is water-resistant up to 1-metre, it connects to the Apple Watch over Bluetooth Low Energy, and with the iPhone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Like all of Satechi’s products, the USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock comes with Apple-certified MFI charging and works across all generations of the Apple Watch. The dock plugs right into the side of the iPad Pro or the MacBook Pro, although you could just as easily use it with any power bank too. The sleek aluminum design does a pretty good job of blending in with Apple’s design language, while inbuilt magnets securely hold onto your watch as it charges, allowing you to dock your iPad on a stand without worrying about the watch slipping or falling off. Neat, eh? Maybe you could even use it as a small extended display too, running a timer, your clock, or the weather app right beside your screen as you work or browse the web!