Apple launched its first crossbody strap alongside the iPhone 17 series, creating a $59 hands-free solution that's dividing users. TechCrunch's hands-on review reveals the accessory excels at convenience but struggles with comfort and aesthetics, particularly when removed from the phone.
Apple just entered the crossbody phone strap market with its typical attention to detail and premium pricing. The $59 iPhone Crossbody Strap launched alongside September's iPhone 17 series, and early reviews are painting a mixed picture of convenience versus practicality.
TechCrunch's Sarah Perez spent hands-on time with the accessory and found both compelling benefits and notable drawbacks. The strap addresses a real need for travelers, professionals, and anyone who needs constant phone access while keeping their hands free.
Apple differentiated its strap from the crowded accessory market through several design choices. The company used recycled PET yarns for an eco-friendly polyester construction that feels more substantial than typical fabric straps. More interesting are the embedded flexible magnets that keep overlapping strap sections aligned and secured together as users adjust the stainless steel sliders.
The strap offers impressive length flexibility, ranging from 42.5 to 81.9 inches maximum, accommodating different body types better than many crossbody purses. Apple also designed the aesthetic to be relatively unisex, avoiding the jewelry-like appearance of many competing products.
But the real-world experience reveals comfort issues that could impact long-term adoption. As users walk, their legs naturally tap the dangling iPhone, causing the strap to move and potentially rub against the neck or shoulder. This friction becomes particularly problematic with off-shoulder clothing that exposes more skin to the strap material.
"The strap can be a bit uncomfortable - not so much that it would outweigh its convenience, but it could become a situation where you find yourself switching the strap to different sides of your body after a couple of hours," Perez noted in her review.
The bigger aesthetic problem emerges when users want to remove the strap. Apple designed the system with two thin looped cords that thread through holes in compatible phone cases, ending in metal anchors where the strap snaps on. While users can unsnap the strap easily, they're left with conspicuous connector cords dangling from their phone's bottom.
