Mashable regularly covers Apple’s product debuts and has been speculating for months about potential releases from the company in 2025. Anticipated items included AirTags 2.0, a refreshed Apple TV device, or a new version of the HomePod. However, the iPhone Sock was a surprise.

In partnership with the creative brand Issey Miyake, the iPhone Pocket was officially introduced on Friday, and the online reactions have been amusing. The internet has whimsically dubbed the 3D knit phone holder as the iPhone Sock, which is appropriate since Apple refers to the item as “derived from the idea of ‘a piece of cloth’.” One inventive person even fashioned their own rendition of the pricey designer item using an old sock.

The iPhone Sock comes in two sizes (short and long) and can be held by hand, worn cross-body, or attached to a bag handle, retailing at $149.95 and $229.95. Many Apple enthusiasts found the pricing steep, as $230 is considerable for a phone holder, especially in the current economic climate.

These price points are not out of the ordinary for designer accessories, especially from a label like Issey Miyake. Apple has consistently shown that if they produce a product, consumers will buy it, possibly with the exception of the Vision Pro. Currently, the iPhone Sock is sold out in every color on the online Apple Store, though shoppers may still locate one at select Apple Stores physically.

So, what exactly is the iPhone Sock?

An Apple press statement explains:

iPhone Pocket showcases a ribbed open design that reflects the original pleats by ISSEY MIYAKE. Conceptualized as an additional pocket, its subtle aesthetics fully enclose the iPhone, expanding to accommodate more of a user’s daily belongings. When extended, the open fabric delicately displays its contents and allows users to glimpse at their iPhone screen. iPhone Pocket can be styled in multiple ways — held, tied onto bags, or worn directly on the body. With a playful color assortment, the short strap style is offered in eight shades, and the long strap style in three shades.

This may appear to be an atypical offering from Apple, but the company also introduced the vibrant Apple Crossbody Strap this autumn, priced more reasonably at $59. Apple and Issey Miyake also share a legacy.

Steve Jobs and Japanese designer Miyake were companions, and according to Apple lore, Jobs once requested Miyake to create an Apple uniform, which never came to fruition. Apple has persisted without Jobs, and the fashion label Issey Miyake has continued on without its founder, who passed away in 2022.

In the West, Issey Miyake is renowned for its origami-inspired bags and popular perfumes.

Have Apple and Issey Miyake fulfilled their founders’ aspirations? It’s uncertain, but there is intrigue regarding what Steve Jobs would have made of the $230 iPhone Sock. After all, he and Miyake were friends.