The Apple Beat: Focusing on accessories

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

As far as accessories go, these are very subjective things. The colour, look and feel may not be right  for everyone, but the whole point is that now consumers have more choice including ones that are consciously made for their product by Apple.

2015 has seen an unprecedented release of products from Apple. Not only has it covered the requisite updates in most of its major categories such as MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones and iPads. We've had a deluge of new products. The 12-inch Retina MacBook, new Retina iMacs, Apple TV, the iPad Pro, as well as various accessory categories. We've also seen a new Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad as well as Magic Mouse peripherals.

In the past month alone, we've seen the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil for the iPad Pro, which are both necessary adjuncts to complete the creative and content creation aspect the iPad Pro promises. We've also seen an elegant charging dock for the Apple Watch, which maximizes its Nighstand Mode feature, plus Apple's very first Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6S. Apple, it seems, is making more products and devices than ever before.

It is intriguing to see Apple navigate the accessories market. The company has traditionally relied on third-party companies to provide users with accessories for various Mac and iOS products.

At the same time, Apple understands the opportunity of having a selection of accessories to go with devices, specially when bought in stores.

The iPad has always had Apple made cases and while the first Apple iPhone case was created out of perceived necessity (remember the iPhone 4 Bumper that Apple gave way to counteract antennagate?), their colourful leather and silicone iPhone cases are among the best fitting and low profile covers one can get, for a price, of course.

While Apple accessories are usually more expensive than the competition, they do have the advantage of being optimized for the devices they serve.

You also get a similar after-sales support when you've purchased an Apple accessory that most third-party solutions might not have. I once had a broken leather case for my iPhone 5S, and the Apple Store specialist took a good look at the case and presented me with a new one within minutes. That sure beats mailing back the case and waiting three weeks for a replacement.

The new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6S seems like an acknowledgement that extra battery life is sometimes needed for the iPhone 6S (the 6S Plus is a battery beast and should be able to last up to two days on a full-charge). While derided for its odd looks, the Smart Battery Case does have some advantages over competing products.

It looks easier to apply and remove (it really seems to be made for easy access and removal), it can charge simultaneously with the iPhone so both can be topped up simultaneously and it integrates antennas that heighten reception while in the case. Granted it doesn't offer as high a battery charge as other cases, Apple makes up for this with finer details.

There's also deep integration with iOS, so you can track battery charge right on Notification Center. Granted the look and feel of this battery case isn't for everyone, Apple getting into this market means they aren't satisfied with what third party makers have produced, or they feel the need to fulfill a product with specific features. 

Possibly because they learned something from making Apple Watch straps and accessories, it looks like Apple is now open to extending the user experience it offers with its products to accessories for certain products. As far as accessories go, these are very subjective things. The colour, look and feel may not be for everyone but the whole point is that now consumers have more choice including ones that are consciously made for their product by Apple.