Apple’s Dh845 iPhone ‘Sock’ mocked online, now completely sold out

Apple’s latest launch might not be a smartphone, but it has generated the kind of hype usually reserved for sneakers or luxury handbags. The iPhone Pocket, a wearable smartphone sling created in collaboration with Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake, sold out within minutes in stores and online, Bloomberg reports.

Priced at roughly Dh844.49, the iPhone Pocket has been widely mocked online as a “glorified sock.” Social media erupted immediately, with one X user tweeting: “£230 for a cut-up sock.” Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee called it a “litmus test” for fans who “buy or defend anything Apple releases.”

Apple insists there’s a method to the madness. The accessory is part of a limited-edition range in collaboration with Issey Miyake, the designer behind Steve Jobs’ iconic black turtlenecks. The design draws on Miyake’s 1997 APOC concept, “A Piece of Cloth,” and was inspired by the idea of creating an additional pocket.

The Pocket comes in eight colours with a short strap and three colours with a longer crossbody option.

Fans lined up outside Apple’s SoHo store, treating the launch like a fashion week moment rather than a tech release. “It’s so cool design-wise because it’s designed by Issey Miyake,” said Lee Aizner, a New York fashion designer.

Social media reactions were mixed. While some praised the design, others joked that its sock-like structure offered “no security,” dubbing it a “pickpocket’s dream.” Reddit users and X commentators called it Apple’s “most unnecessary invention.”

Apple, however, describes the Pocket as a tribute to Miyake, celebrating craftsmanship and design innovation.

Limited availability, high prices, and global hype turned the Pocket into a collector’s item, reminiscent of the early-2000s iPod Socks. Resellers have already listed them at inflated prices.

The iPhone Pocket’s 3D-knitted construction fits any iPhone and small items like AirPods or lip balm. Apple stocked only ten physical stores worldwide—including Tokyo, Paris, Milan, London, and New York (SoHo)—adding to its exclusivity.

Critics have mocked the high price, but defenders argue it reflects the Issey Miyake collaboration and nods to Apple’s history. Social media analyst Matt Navara told the BBC the pricing is less about practicality and more about “form, branding and exclusivity,” testing the limits of Apple’s brand loyalty.

The collaboration carries sentimental weight: Miyake designed Steve Jobs’ iconic black turtlenecks, which became as synonymous with Apple as its logo. Fans like Owen Sanders celebrated the connection, calling the Pocket meaningful fashion and collectible art.

Despite memes and mockery, the iPhone Pocket has sold out worldwide. Michael Josh, a content creator, called it akin to “owning a piece of art,” showing that for many fans, hype and exclusivity outweigh practicality.