Weird and Overpriced

This is an odd, unattractive, and overpriced accessory. Seventy dollars for this? :rofl:

Looks like my kids designed this and printed on the 3d printer! Definitely a funky design.

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Isn’t that a bit cruel? Maybe you are lucky enough to not be in the target group?

Designed with direct input from individuals with disabilities affecting muscle strength, dexterity, and hand control, this ergonomic grip was designed with accessibility in mind from the ground up.

It looks like it’s sold out, so apparently it is appealing to them (or others).

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I certainly don’t ever mean to be cruel (if it came across that way, I apologize), but I’m not sure that calling a plastic accessory “odd, unattractive, and overpriced“ constitutes cruelty. It IS rather odd, unattractive, and overpriced at $70, but I’m sure it will benefit those with disabilities. My comment was not related to the latter; it was related to aesthetics and price. Perhaps a lower price would make it more “accessible” for those with disabilities. :slightly_smiling_face:

II would be more critical of the iPhone sock (or whatever it is). This thing while unattractive might make the difference between an iPhone being useful or not for it’s intended customer. It’s certainly a low volume device, justifying its seemingly high price. Read its full description and you might not be so critical.

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Fair enough, I did not read the full description. :pensive:

I truly believe that someone at Apple is testing a Theory (or has a Bet going) on what the public will actually purchase.

  1. Limited Edition/quantity
  2. Usefulness to a very small subset of customers
  3. Collaboration with a Designer

Market it under “Accessibility” so 97% of the customer base doesn’t feel a need to own it. Those that do criticize it will not get the point behind it, while the rest of us will think… Hmm not for me.

I don’t get the point behind the Sling Sock, but think the Phone Grip/Stand could be very useful. Since 3rd parties are already producing/selling the Sling Sock for cheap, the Grip/Stand knockoff can’t be far behind.

Her phone cases are pretty cool!

I wouldn’t put that in my pocket! :joy:

On their website (home page):

We make phone cases for the hand, not the pocket.

(So you’re likely not the first to make that remark :wink:)

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There is Sock Sling to carry that. It’s not meant for the pocket.

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I think it looks cool, I would buy one. But the price is very insane.

Hikawa also offers an array of toilet seats. This one, priced at $1200, is sold out.

If daisies are too dainty for you, there’s this model, which is altogether more sinister, and also sold out at $1350.

In all seriousness: a member of my household needs adaptive devices to manage the simple tasks of daily life that most of us can do without a moment’s thought. Many of those devices are manufactured with little, if any, attention to aesthetics and in seeming obliviousness to the idea that being disabled doesn’t mean you’ve abandoned all desire for flair and style. I’m sure the Hikawa stand isn’t to everyone’s taste (I happen to like it!), but it does acknowledge that adaptive design can be whimsical and fun. It’s overpriced, but everything in the Apple Store is overpriced.

PS - I promise you that that toilet lid is wonderfully adaptive, too.

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I need to apologize. I was reacting to the image and price. I did not take the time to read and therefore did not realize this was an accessory for those with disabilities. My bad, and I apologize. :pensive:

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No worries. If you’ve never experienced or known someone with the kind of disability that requires adaptive tools, you likely won’t recognize an adaptive design at first glance or have even imagined that one might be necessary for a given task.

The need for adaptive tools or an adaptive environment escapes even people who should know better—e.g., health care professionals setting up private offices. For example: entrances that can’t be accessed in a wheelchair with assistance, not to mention too-narrow doorways and hallways; door handles that are impossible to grip and turn; bad lighting; a TV on the wall blaring away at a too loud volume for someone hard of hearing; etc etc etc.

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Thanks for the grace, needed and appreciated. :pray:t2:

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If it were marketed as a formal medical device by a medical device manufacturer, the cost would be 5-10 times higher.

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This is definitely a thing with disability-focused items. They look “weird,” are frequently bizarrely-bright colors, and typically seem comically-overpriced given the materials used.

The bizarre thing with this particular item, IMHO, is that it’s being sold on the Apple website. Not that Apple shouldn’t sell accessories for a wide variety of users, but it just doesn’t seem like the sort of niche thing they’d normally focus on.

It looks like it might be a collaboration as part of a marketing campaign featuring more accessibility features in iOS.

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IMO that is exactly what it is. Regardless of what this item does, it has associated Apple with Bailey Hikawa. Apple has a long history of doing this, more recently with Niki, Hermes, and Issey Miyake. Another gold star for Apple Marketing.

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Actually Apple is passionate about accessibility for the disabled - albeit mostly they have done this through software in the past.

I believe this is one of Tim Cook’s proudest moments- bravo.

Cook, clearly trying to remain calm, shot back: “When we work on making our devices accessible by the blind, I don’t consider the bloody ROI [return on investment]. When I think about doing the right thing, I don’t think about an ROI.”

Cook then offered his own bottom line to Danhof, or any other critic, one which perfectly sums up his belief that social and political and moral leadership are not antithetical to running a business. “If that’s a hard line for you,” Cook continued, “then you should get out of the stock.”

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