The Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone—an accessibility-first MagSafe accessory created with Bailey Hikawa and PopSockets—returns to Apple Store online on May 19 in three new colors after selling out nearly instantly in 2025.
He didn’t just design a phone grip that looked different—he designed one meant to be easier to hold when holding is the problem.
The Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone is back in the Apple Store online on May 19, no longer limited-edition. The accessory is offered in three new colors through a collaboration between Bailey Hikawa and PopSockets, following a launch in November 2025 that sold out nearly instantly.
When it first appeared. the oversized MagSafe accessory was positioned as a short-run Apple collaboration aimed at users with disabilities affecting grip. strength. and mobility. From the start, it was built with accessibility in mind, not added on as an afterthought. Bailey Hikawa created the grip to support different holding positions and reduce the effort needed to keep an iPhone steady.
The design choices were part of that goal. Large sculpted curves give the grip a look closer to adaptive hardware than a conventional phone accessory. Hikawa said during the original launch that the design came from an extensive interview process focused on supporting different ways of holding an iPhone.
But the first release also triggered a backlash. Some readers criticized the limited-edition positioning and premium pricing. asking why an accessibility-focused accessory would be sold as a short-run collaboration rather than a standard product. Those questions were tied to the frustration that something developed for accessibility seemed to be treated like a collectible.
The reply wasn’t about marketing—it was about process. The arguments around the product were described as shortsighted and lacking understanding of how it was developed. It wasn’t treated as a simple materials swap—“Someone didn’t simply take a piece of rubber and put a hole in it.” Instead. time and effort went into building a widely accessible product out of materials that would feel nice. while also achieving a good weight and sturdiness. That kind of research, the reasoning went, comes at a cost.
Now the timing and framing have changed. The updated launch expands availability well beyond the original release. and Apple has folded the Hikawa grip into a larger accessibility rollout rather than keeping it in the niche of designer collaborations. Apple announced the Hikawa Grip & Stand alongside a broader slate of accessibility features coming later in 2026. including generated subtitles for uncaptioned videos. more detailed image descriptions in VoiceOver. and eye-tracking wheelchair controls for Apple Vision Pro.
In this new presentation, the grip isn’t being treated as a one-off. Its oversized shape is intended to make the iPhone easier to hold for users who may find traditional flat-backed phone designs difficult, uncomfortable, or impossible to use without assistance.
The updated Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone is available in Glow Blue, Orange Swirl, and Speckled Stone for $54.95 through the Apple Store online.
Hikawa Grip & Stand iPhone accessibility MagSafe grip Bailey Hikawa PopSockets Apple Store VoiceOver Apple Vision Pro eye tracking wheelchair controls generated subtitles
MagSafe accessory coming back? cool i guess
So it’s not limited edition anymore… but it was already basically sold out instantly like last time? Apple always does this tease then price it like a luxury item. I get accessibility is the point but why does it feel like a collectible still.
Wait, I thought this was like a pop socket thing only for like disabled people? Not trying to be mean, but if it’s really for accessibility why would it be “short-run”? seems backwards. Also oversized MagSafe sounds like it’ll make the phone heavier, which is kinda the opposite of what people need? idk.
I saw this headline and was like oh it’s back, but then reading it’s for grip strength/mobility issues, and they made “three new colors” like that’s the main fix. People complained about premium pricing and limited edition, and Apple probably just ignored it anyway. Accessibility shouldn’t be treated like, what, an art drop? The interview process part makes it sound legit though, but still… May 19 right? I’ll probably forget and miss it again lol.