Apple’s iPhone Pocket, a socklike pouch meant to tote an iPhone, has sold out across the company’s online stores after becoming an unlikely crowd favorite for one of the season’s most-discussed accessories.
Available in two styles (a basic model and a longer-strap version) for $149.95 and $229.95, respectively, the minimally designed bag features an Issey Miyake brand tag on the front.
Both options are now showing as unavailable.
Stock-outs were not confined to one region. Industry observers reported that the U.S., the UK, France, Italy, China, Japan, and Singapore were among the regions in which availability had been depleted. Inventory at the store level may be different, and Apple has not revealed whether it will produce more units.
Why a Sock Won the Day for Apple’s iPhone Pocket
On the page, a fabric “sock” for a smartphone sounds like a punchline. In practice, it’s hitting a number of currents at once: the intensifying presence of crossbody phone pouches in fashion, the allure of soft goods that dull the slab-of-glass aesthetic, and the stubborn influence of a tasteful brand tag. The Issey Miyake cue telegraphs design pedigree while allowing the iPhone itself to remain in the spotlight.
And then there’s a dollop of nostalgia, too. Even the broadest Apple fanboys and fangirls out there will remember the iPod Socks, those colorfully knit sleeves that achieved cult status as an accessory. The iPhone Pocket is not a direct revival, but it rhymes: a cheeky single-purpose object made with enough decorative seriousness that it feels collectible.
Search interest in the phone pouch is up on fashion platforms and Google, a trend also reflected more broadly in micro-bags that carry just the essentials. The iPhone Pocket catches that wave, although it still relies on the distribution and cultural impact that few brands other than Apple can direct.
The Economics of the iPhone Pocket Sock Sellout
Small accessories can be big business. Apple has reported having an active installed base of over 2 billion devices, so even if the attach rate is niche, it still represents a sizable demand. In the premium smartphone segment, companies like Counterpoint Research regularly show Apple taking more than 70% share, a crowd of customers that tend to purchase cases and straps and fashion-adjacent add-ons.
Novelty items have a history of overperforming. Apple’s $19 Polishing Cloth has had extended backorders, and co-branded watch bands have suffered from tight supply multiple times. The iPhone Pocket taps into those dynamics — novelty plus fashion cachet — at a price that leaves it in the territory of designer small leather goods, making it an easy gift as well as a subtle status signal.
The pricing also falls into the “quiet luxury” time. For those buyers, $149.95 for a piece of fabric wrapped in the aura of a well-regarded design label may be just the right intersection of utility and brand expression without being too blatantly logo-heavy, as some cases can be.
Availability and What to Do Now That Stock Is Gone
Online inventory is dry across the board in all of these markets, so your best near-term shot is at Apple retail locations or other stores where sporadic stock can crop up as shipments are reconciled.
Apple has also not announced a restock window, and fashion-connected accessories are frequently produced in smaller quantities.
If the sock is a must-have, patience — or vigilance — may be rewarded as returns and small replenishments trickle through the system. If it’s function you care about, there are several case and bag manufacturers who offer slim crossbody sleeves to fit a modern iPhone; none of those will reproduce the exact combination of Apple distribution clout and Issey Miyake glamor, however.
What This Signals About Apple and Fashion Accessories
The sellout highlights Apple’s ability to make demand for sharply focused accessories when aesthetic and culture and timing all come together. It also signals a larger opportunity: fashion-forward, small-batch iPhone carry solutions that flatter rather than cover the device. Whether Apple dives into that lane with additional collaborations or keeps the sock as a one-off, the lesson from buyers is clear — a simple, well-executed idea can move quickly at even a premium.
