Apple is marking forty years of accessibility work with an iPhone add-on that is designed to be both practical and a little bit sculptural.
The new Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand is a limited edition MagSafe accessory that snaps onto the back of compatible iPhones to make them easier to hold and prop up. It is very much focused on comfort and control rather than just being another pretty MagSafe trinket.
Apple says the Hikawa Grip and Stand was created in collaboration with LA-based designer Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of accessibility at the company.
The grip uses magnets to lock onto any iPhone with MagSafe, and Apple stresses that it can be removed with minimal effort when you want to go back to a bare phone or switch cases. Once attached, it folds out into a stand with two viewing angles, allowing it to work in both portrait and landscape, so it can handle everything from video calls to watching shows on a desk.
Accessibility shaped the entire design process rather than being added at the end. Apple explains that people with disabilities affecting muscle strength, dexterity and hand control were directly involved in testing and feedback.
This helps refine how the grip feels in the hand and how easy it is to flip into stand mode. The result takes cues from modern sculpture, but underneath the curves, it is trying to make larger phones easier to manage for people who find standard flat slabs awkward to hold.
The Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand keeps the options simple with just two finishes. There is a bold chartreuse version that is easy to spot immediately, and a recycled Crater colourway that is exclusive to Apple. Pricing is set at $69.95 in the United States, and it is available to order now from Apple’s online store. It’s unclear at the time of writing whether it’ll make its way to other regions like the UK and the EU.
Apple also points out that this is its second limited-edition iPhone accessory in the same month. Earlier in November, the company released a high-end designer iPhone Pocket, a cross-body pouch that starts at £139.95/$149.95, which makes the Hikawa Grip and Stand the more functional, accessibility focused counterpart in this little run of special iPhone add-ons.
