The skepticism that I had about Apple’s rumored crossbody iPhone strap can be put to rest now that it was officially announced at yesterday’s big iPhone 17 event. I’m suitably impressed. And if we can clear up some of the confusion about why it exists in the first place, then I think more people will be, too.
Firstly, crossbody straps are supremely useful for those of us who are denied deep pockets and don’t want to carry a bag. It gives a person quick access to their phone on a bike, at a festival, in a shop to make payments, or when tapping into public transit. They’re for the old and young who fear their phones being dropped or stolen. And, yes, they’re also fashion statements that can be coordinated with your latest outfit.
Pockets have been a long-standing 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 a smartphone to make payments, check your makeup, read a book, and even unlock doors. You don’t need to carry a bag, but most people still need to carry a phone.
It’s also worth noting that mobile phone lanyards and straps are already popular in several regions outside of the US. They are a common sight across Europe and Asia, according to Redditors and my own eyeballs. Premium brands, like the LA-based Bandolier, have been around for at least a decade, with prices ranging from $98 to $188. XouXou is another popular brand selling phone cases and lanyard straps starting from $29. You can also find options at Casetify, Topologie, and cheap offerings from alphabet-salad brands that I don’t recognize at retailers like Amazon.
Apple is just the latest company to jump on this trend, but it does bring an interesting innovation that sets it apart from the rest: flexible magnets embedded throughout for quick adjustments. This allows the overlapping strap segments to sit flush together when you adjust the length, so that they’re not hanging loosely or getting in the way. It might also provide some additional strength to prevent the straps from becoming loose when the attached phone is weighing it down, judging by some of the video demonstrations we’ve seen.
This quick adjustability is particularly useful for anyone who needs to change the strap length often, such as when walking, cycling, or extending the phone to take photos, pay for coffee, or tap into the subway. The strap securely tethers the iPhone to your body, helping prevent it from falling out of a back pocket or getting taken out of your hand by an opportunist thief. The crossbody strap also uses mechanical snaps to attach to the case itself, which makes it easy to switch out if you want to coordinate different straps with your outfits.
Before Apple’s announcement, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that the iPhone crossbody strap “has been a priority of the company’s design team” and that Apple seems to have accounted for everything.
The $59 price is also surprisingly reasonable, at least compared to the lofty prices that Apple usually charges for accessories. You can find cheaper options, but they likely won’t come with the same magnetic features. It does, however, seem to lock you into buying a compatible iPhone case from Apple — at least initially, until third-party case makers get their act together.
I’m still on the fence about upgrading from my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but as a tourist and festivalgoer, Apple has at least sold me on its strap.
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