Stuff you won't see in an Apple Store
The iPhone has been with us for 10 years. And over that decade, the market for iPhone accessories has become a full-fledged industry. But along with the useful accessories you'll find in Apple Stores (like the one shown here), there are plenty of off-the-wall iPhone add-ons, too.
Bose Sounddock
Speaker docks were among the earliest accessories for the iPhone. The Bose SoundDock (2004) was originally designed for iPods but was later compatible with the iPhone, which had also had a 30-pin connector. Then things started to get weird...
Banana handset
Just what you always wanted, a banana handset for your mobile phone.
Cassette to iPhone converter
This accessory used to be sold by Hammacher Schlemmer. It converted cassette tapes into MP3 files.
Ear case
This case disguises your iPhone as an ear.
Spraytech Pepper Spray case
The Pepper Spray case had its 15 minutes of fame, then it went poof.
iMuff Wireless
Who can forget the early Bluetooth iMuffs headphones? The dongle plugged into iPods and iPhones (the original model didn't have active Bluetooth), and streamed wirelessly to the headphones.
Casewow Flip-flop case
You can still find flip-flop iPhone cases floating around the Internet.
iPhone Mini fan
This portable fan is readily available on Amazon for about $7.
iPhone phone handset
These silly old-school handsets for your iPhone were kind of funny when they first came out several years ago. Not so much anymore.
Joeybra (better known as iPhone bra)
The Joeybra got a lot of attention when it first came out a few years ago. It has since morphed into the Pocket Bra.
ZVE Cigarette Lighter Case
This ZVE case has been available for the last few years for earlier iPhones, but an updated version is available for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus for $20 on Amazon. It also has a built-in bottle opener.
Fluance FiSDK500
Fluance's FiSDK500 iPhone/iPod speaker dock had a retro strange quality to it, but it did sound good. These days, you'll want the wireless Bluetooth version instead.
iCarta2 iPhone toilet tissue holder
Every bathroom needs one of these.
iPhone Wind Meter
There are several wind meters available for the iPhone (and Android devices). This is the WeatherFlow wind meter, which retails for $30 at Amazon.
Umbilical Cord charger for iPhone
This may be arguably the most freaky iPhone accessory ever created. Check out the YouTube video, and read what we said about it back in 2010.
TaskOne G3 case
I actually played around with one of these cases and was marginally impressed. It's still available for the iPhone 5/5S and iPhone 6/6S from a company called TaskLab. Just don't bring it on to a plane, please.
Clip-a-Phone
Clip-A-Phone is smart phone hat mount. It's unclear how smart it is, but it is fairly inexpensive at $20.
Oral-B Genius 9000
Not brushing properly? Oral-B's latest smart brush, the Genius 9000 is here to teach you the key to sparkling gnashers.
It ropes in your smartphone to help as well -- stick your phone on your mirror, and the toothbrush's app uses the front facing camera to gauge where abouts in your mouth you're brushing, and for how long.
Windshield Wiper for iPhone
The Windshield Wiper was a USB-powered wiper for you iPhone. It's unclear what its purpose was.
Wall of Sound 2.0
The Wall of Sound 2.0 was billed as the largest iPhone speaker in the world. With 1,600 watts of power, it weighed 392 lbs.
Sony DSC QX100
A few years back, Sony created a camera that attached to your phone and used its screen as a viewfinder.
Pyle PHST80ip Speaker dock
A tower speaker with a dock on top. Not sure bought this one but you can still find it on sale on Amazon for about $150.
PopSlate 2
The PopSlate 2 is an iPhone case that has a built-in battery and more importantly, an e-ink screen on the back that delivers vital tidbits of information (the company calls it a second screen for your iPhone). It's due to ship in the coming months.
NES iPhone dock
For a little over $30 you can pick up a handmade NES iPhone dock on Etsy.
Moonlight Bedtime Story Projector
The Moonlight Bedtime Story Projector blew through its funding goal on Kickstarter and will allegedly ship in April 2017 (proceed at your own risk). It allows you to project story reels on a wall or ceiling using your iPhone's LED. Kind of ingenious.
Wysky Music Lamp
The WySky Music Lamp is an iPhone speaker dock and bedside LED lamp with adjustable color settings that match the mood of the music. It's allegedly coming out later this year.
Pyle PWMA1090UI Wireless and Portable PA Speaker Sound System
This rollable mega speaker is still for sale for about $220 and includes an integrated 30-pin dock and PA system.
Knuckle case
There've been plenty of variations of the iPhone knuckle case over the years, but it's still going strong.
iPhone Horn Stand
The iPhone Horn stand amplifies the sound off your iPhone the old-fashioned way (the speaker is not powered). You can find it for about $7 on Amazon.
iPhone gun case
Over the years, there have been several variations of the iPhone gun case. It doesn't shoot anything except pictures, but it could get you shot.
Back to The Future DeLorean iPhone case
We wrote about this one last year. Needless to say, it's a little bulky. But that's the price you pay for awesome.
Belkin Lego case
The Belkin Lego Builder case is really good for developing small children's minds as they play Temple Run for our hours.