10 Ways To Make Your iPhone As Useful As A Swiss Army Knife

An Apple executive told me the only successful product to challenge a Swiss Army® knife was the iPhone. He meant its hardware and software platform architecture led both software developers and accessory makers to boost the utility, productivity, and fun of using a smartphone to an unbelievable level, just as the Swiss Army design did for pocket knives. Speck just released a new accessory for all MagSafe capable iPhones—that means any iPhone 12 or newer—delivering a level of usefulness comparable to my venerable red pocket knife. Speck calls it the StandyGrip™ because on the surface that’s what it does, provide a stand and a grip. But now after using StandyGrip for a while I have stumbled across many life-enhancing ways of using it that make it my new favorite everyday carry (EDC) gadget. Here are ten ways I use StandyGrip that I think you’ll enjoy.

1. DOOMSCROLLING
   When I can’t stop myself from endlessly ‘doomscrolling’ through my Insta feed or Facebook reels it puts a lot of strain on my thumb. This is even more difficult because I have a big, heavy iPhone 14 Pro Max. Flipping out the adjustable StandyGrip finger tab lets me rest all of its weight on top of, or in between, my fingers while relaxing my grip on the iPhone itself. This makes scrolling effortless with the only harm being to my brain.

2. SMALL SCREEN TV
   Many years ago, I saved my money and built a beautiful home theater system with a giant flatscreen TV as the center. Now I find myself watching 95% of the video content I consume on my 6.7 inch iPhone screen with high performance Bluetooth earbuds and loving every minute of it. This has been made better by using the StandyGrip kickstand to position my ‘small screen TV’ at the exact angle and position that is best for hands-free viewing on the nearest flat surface.

3. HANDS-FREE LANTERN
   I recently needed to check my engine oil level prior to a road trip while it was still dark outside. Remembering my StandyGrip, I flipped out the kickstand, turned on the iPhone flashlight, and placed it on a flat spot in the engine compartment giving me light for as long as I needed it. The utility of having a hands-free lantern in your pocket at all times can’t be overstated.

4. BOOK STAND FOR READING
   I love to read but never seem to have a book with me when I have the time. So for years I’ve been reading using the Apple Books or Amazon Kindle app on my iPhone. Long reading sessions, used to cramp my hand especially in odd locations such as in bed, at a coffee shop, on an airplane, or standing on a commuter train. Being able to flip out the kickstand and read hands free while drinking coffee, or using the finger grip for reading while standing, is a game changer and encourages me to read more and doomscroll less.

5. CONTINUITY CAMERA MODE
   A lesser-known feature of the Mac and iPhone OS is the Continuity Camera. This lets me initiate a video or Facetime call and use the higher resolution iPhone camera as my webcam. StandyGrip has a notch on the underside of the finger grip specifically designed for mounting an iPhone on the top edge of a MacBook display positioning it perfectly for a Continuity Camera call (MORE INFO).

6. FACETIME FOR APPLE® TVJust as when using Continuity Camera on a Macintosh, you can also use an iPhone with a 2nd generation Apple TV to bring Facetime calls to your big screen TV. Just fold out the StandyGrip kickstand and place the iPhone next to your Apple TV. Follow these: INSTRUCTIONS.

7. NIGHT-STANDBY MODEOne of the nice features of iOS17 is ‘StandBy Mode’ which displays a clock, the temperature, and weather outlook whenever my iPhone is charging in landscape orientation. Makers of bedside MagSafe® chargers would have you believe you need to buy one of their night stand contraptions to use this feature. On the contrary, I just mate my iPhone to its charging cable, flip out the StandyGrip kickstand and set it on its side. Voilà...instant StandyBy Mode.

8. YUCK PREVENTIONI was traveling and found myself in a sketchy airport bathroom with no clean place to lay down my phone. StandyGrip to the rescue! I just flipped out the finger grip and hung the phone vertically between the stainless steel handrail and tile wall with the grip against the rail. It securely held the iPhone in place with a minimum of touching any surfaces. Not something Speck designers had in mind, but very handy nonetheless!

9. THE SELFIE GRIP YOU CAN COUNT ONStandyGrip includes the ClickLock™ no-slip interlock that adds a mechanical lock to the MagSafe® magnetic attraction when used with a Speck ClickLock iPhone case. This creates such a strong bond between case and finger grip, you really don’t need to worry about StandyGrip slipping off. This comes in handy when you are taking that epic selfie while holding your phone over a cliff.

10. LIKE A SWISS ARMY KNIFE, BUT ONLY WHEN YOU NEED ITBest of all, StandyGrip acts like the Swiss Army knife of iPhone accessories only when you need it to. Because it uses MagSafe magnets to adhere it to the iPhone, I can remove it if I prefer to carry a MagSafe wallet when going to the beach, or when I want to use my MagSafe car mount driving around town. This convertible system allows it to be slim enough to fit any pocket and flexible enough to not preclude use of other add-on accessories.

I’ve also used my StandyGrip as a makeshift tripod to take much sharper photos than I could by hand even though it was not specifically designed for that. I’m sure there is no end to the utility I will find with StandyGrip, and that is why I take it with me everywhere I go.

— Peter Radsliff, Speck EVP Marketing | Oct. 19, 2023