You just shelled out several hundreds of dollars on a brand new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus. Congratulations on a great purchase, but unfortunately you’re not done reaching into your wallet just yet. It’s time to adorn with iPhone 7 accessories.
Don’t worry, we’re not giving you a ridiculously long list that will cost hundreds of additional dollars. Here are just four essentials iPhone 7 accessories. These are all pretty affordable and pair perfectly with your new iPhone to add even more functionality.
iPhone Lightning Dock
Image credit: Apple
Normally, I wholeheartedly recommend third-party iPhone docks over Apple’s offering, but this year is a different story. As much as I love the stability and design of other docks, Apple’s dock has one feature that’s especially pertinent to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: audio out.
When your iPhone sits on the dock’s Lightning connector, it charges and can additionally play audio through a 3.5 mm audio port. Not only does this instantly give your iPhone 7 compatibility with your existing 3.5 mm devices like headphones and speakers, but it also lets you listen to music through these devices while your phone charges.
Yes, I get it. Wireless is the future and Lightning headphones work just as well as 3.5 mm, but if you don’t want to buy new headphones or use dongles, this is a solid way to hold you over a bit longer. Apple also priced the dock moderately well at $39 for the white polycarbonate version, but I’d say splurge a little bit for the more premium aluminum in black, gold, rose gold, silver or space gray.
➤ Buy iPhone Lightning Dock ($49)
iOttie Easy One Touch 3 Car Dock
Image credit: iOttie
I’ve been a fan of of the iOttie original car dock for years. It has served my iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s well. Since this year is the first time I opted for a Plus model iPhone, it’s also the first time my iPhone didn’t fit in the original. I upgraded to the iOttie Easy One Touch 3 and I’m pretty happy with that decision.
Not only does the One Touch 3 feel extremely solid, but it’s extremely flexible and functional. You can position and extend your iPhone any which way and the strong suction cup ensures stability and support. It holds even the biggest of smartphones and leaves space open for the Lightning port at the bottom so you can charge your phone in the car.
At just $24.95 on Amazon, the iOttie 3 is a total steal. It’s a must-have if you use GPS or listen to your music library in your car.
➤ Buy iOttie Easy One Touch 3 on Amazon ($24.95)
Belkin Bluetooth Car Kit
Image credit: Belkin
My car doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth and since a new car isn’t on my accessory list for my iPhone 7, a Bluetooth car kit is. Belkin has proven itself to be a quality brand of iPhone accessories and as such sells a simple product that makes your slightly older car Bluetooth-ready.
The accessory plugs in to your car’s 3.5 mm aux-in port and powers through the car charger. From there, just connect your iPhone to it via Bluetooth and you can wirelessly listen to music and make calls through your car’s speaker system. The call/play button also has a built-in microphone that you can place near you on your dashboard.
As one more perk, when you do need a wire to power your iPhone, you can charge through the USB port on the power adapter.
For 38 bucks, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get Bluetooth in your vehicle and ditch the aux cord and dongle for good.
➤ Buy Belkin Bluetooth Car Kit on Amazon ($38.13)
Spigen Universal Metal Kickstand
Image credit: Spigen
A kickstand is one of those accessories you don’t think you need, but then you buy one (or a case that includes one) and you can’t live without it. Kickstands are especially useful to have with the iPhone 7 Plus. With a 5.5-inch 1080p display, why would you not want to prop it up and use it for entertainment?
Spigen has a fantastic metallic kickstand that’s spring-loaded and requires just a light flick to extend. It also closes magnetically. You can tack it on to any iPhone with or without a case as long as the back of the case isn’t made of leather. Being universal, it also works with Android phones. The only downside is that adding a kickstand means the phone can’t lay completely flat on a table.
Since switching to the iPhone 7 Plus, I’ve been without a kickstand. My previous case for iPhone 6s came with one built-in but isn’t compatible and I miss it dearly. This Spigen one is calling my name.
The Universal Metal Kickstand is available through Spigen’s website for an easy $9.99.
➤ Buy Universal Metal Kickstand ($9.99)
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