The company Apple is renowned for its premium products. Apart from iPhone SE, iPad 2017 and MacBook Air, all devices Apple are at the very top of their price range.
The company has raised the price of this year's flagship smartphone iPhone X to $ 999, although previous models ranged from $ 649 to $ 769. Although smartphones have become an integral part of our work and personal life, not everyone is willing to pay thousands of dollars for them, especially considering the fact that now many people change their phones every two to three years.
Besides iPhone X, Apple has a few more accessories that are slightly overpriced. We have collected the 5 worst price offers for you.
Disclaimer: This article may seem like a complaint, but we do not question the decision Apple. The company can set prices for its products as it wants. We just want to review the high-priced devices for those looking to buy or find alternatives.
1. Quick charge for iPhone 8 and iPhone X
For several years now, fast charging devices of various price categories have been available for phones Android. The Moto G5 Plus is an expensive phone that comes with a 15W charger. For comparison, iPhone 8 and iPhone X come with only 5W charging. The 3000mAh battery of the aforementioned phone Android fully charges in an hour and a half, while the 2691mAh battery iPhone 8 Plus takes between two and a half to three hours. The reason for this is the insufficiently powerful charger.
Previously, fast charging iPhone had to use 10W chargers from iPad, but iPhone 8 and iPhone X officially support USB Power Delivery – the standard fast charging from Google, which is also used in Pixel phones. However, to use this feature, you will need to purchase two additional accessories – a USB-C adapter and a USB-C Lightning cable.
Apple sells a 29W USB-C adapter (which comes with a 12-inch MacBook) for $ 49. The meter USB-C Lightning cable costs another $ 25, and you end up spending $ 75 to quickly charge iPhone 8 or X.
Or you can buy a compatible Aukey USB-PD charger + aMetrans cable for as little as $ 35.
2. Smart keyboard for iPad Pro
iPad Pro is considered Apple as a replacement for a computer. The company even made several commercials in which it hinted at this.
Most of these videos iPad Pro are used with the smart keyboard Apple. But many buyers don't know that the keyboard is not included. The 10.5-inch iPad Pro starts at $ 649, while the more memory and cellular option costs $ 1,000. You will have to spend another $ 159 on the keyboard (169 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro).
So what's so 'smart' about this keyboard? Like regular smart cases for iPad, it attaches to the side with a magnet and covers the screen. If you fold the keyboard case into a triangle, you can position iPad vertically at an angle to make it look like a laptop. The keys are not as good as the MacBook Pro, but they are easy to type on. The keyboard works with special pins that Apple calls the 'Smart Connector' so it doesn't need support Bluetooth or a separate battery.
Paying $ 159 for a keyboard is too shabby – instead of two smart keyboards for iPad Pro you can buy the whole iPad 2017. Unfortunately, even two years later, there are not many accessories on the market that use Smart Connector , so we did not find an alternative to the accessory.
3. Remote Siri for Apple TV
Apple radically changed work Apple TV with the release of the 4th generation of TVs and the introduction of the remote control Siri. The new remote is significantly different from the previous one. Firstly, it has a touchpad, with which it is easy to scroll through content and does not need to constantly press the buttons, as before. Secondly, it has a microphone for interacting with Siri and entering text. In addition, the remote has an accelerometer and gyroscope that detect movements; sensors are mainly used for games. Finally, there is an infrared sensor on top, with which you can change the volume without having to be near the TV.
Is the remote control Siri overpriced? Given its sheer number of features, the $ 59 price tag doesn't seem too high. But this is just not to think about the fact that the remote control is worth a third of the price of itself Apple TV. In addition, such a small remote control is easy to break or lose. In this case, you will either have to spend another 59 dollars, or just use your iPhone with a virtual remote control for Apple TV.
4. USB-C to USB adapter
When Apple removed the 3.5mm jack from iPhone 7 last year, they started adding adapters to their phone kits. It's a smooth transition to the wireless future that the company wants to create. Also Apple removed the widely used USB-A port on the 12-inch MacBook and newer MacBook Pros, replacing it with the new USB-C port. It's a pity that iPhone for $ 649 comes with adapters, but not for MacBook for one or two thousand dollars.
In order not to lose potential buyers, the company reduced the price of adapters. But that was temporary, and the $ 9 USB-C to USB-A adapter returned to the $ 19 price tag. Worst of all, it doesn't even support USB 3.0 transfer speeds and the site has terrible reviews for it. For comparison, Aukey sells the same adapters, but also with USB 3.0 support, for only $ 9 for a set of two. We personally use these products and they work well.
5. Magnetic charging stand Apple Watch
Apple Watch are charged with inductive charger included in the box and sold separately for $ 29. But what if you want a stand that turns Apple Watch into a complete watch? Then you have to pay $ 79 for a magnetic charging stand.
No doubt it has an unusual design, and the watch can be charged both standing and lying down. When the watch is charging while standing, it will keep showing the time. While the device works great, I don't want to spend a third of the cost Apple Watch of the Series 1 on a stand.
You can buy a Spigen stand for Apple Watch for as little as $ 7. In addition, there are options from Wirecutter that are also worth considering.