Apple’s latest product has spurred a new race among third-party developers: To find out who can make the most essential accompaniment to the Apple Watch.
The $100 Epik has reached its crowdfunding goal with nearly a month to go—apparently there are a lot of customers looking for a rugged Apple Watch case that encloses and protects its more sensitive and delicate areas. It includes a silicone sport strap or aluminum link bracelet with silicone sub-links and a butterfly clasp, designed to be durable during tough workouts.
Maybe you don’t want an Apple Watch but still could use a wearable that tracks your health? The UP4 tracks your fitness stats and transmits them to the Jawbone app on your phone; better yet, it connects to your Amex card, letting you seamlessly make payments while you’re out and about. No word on pricing or availability yet.
The $130 FRE Power for iPhone 6 is a waterproof, 2600-mAh battery case that doubles your iPhone’s natural battery life—and can even survive an hour at six feet below the surface of the water. (Not that we recommend this, necessarily.) It’s expected to ship in late June.
The $30 CandyShell Fit “combines a hard polycarbonate shell to guard against impact and a TPU interior to absorb shock. A raised bezel rises 1.5mm above the Apple Watch’s touchscreen to act as a bumper between the face and surrounding environments. The CandyShell Fit has been tested against sweat, extreme temperatures, and everyday topical chemicals like sunscreen and lotions.”
What does a flat-ribbon charging cable have to do with the Apple Watch? Oh, that’s right, there are still iOS devices that don’t go on your wrist. The $50 Ribbn has a three-foot long cable that lets you charge your iPhone or iPad in the car and still have easy access to both. An additional USB port lets you charge two devices at once.
For the very detail-oriented Apple Watch owner: The $10 Watchdots let you cover the Digital Crown and button of your Apple Watch in color-coordinated fashion. The dots come in five colors to match the available Apple Watch Sport bands, plus a red version as well.
The $49 Saat for Apple Watch is stylistically versatile, at the very least, available in multiple colors and styles—a clear “plex” model is available, as are chrome and wood varieties. Like most stands, it includes a hidden cable channel to keep your desk or countertop looking relatively uncluttered.
We would think you’d mostly carry your Apple Watch around on your wrist, but if not: The $49 Time Travel Case for Apple Watch is a sort of nice leather wallet for transporting your watch when it’s not in use. It includes access points so you can charge the watch while it’s not in use overnight.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.