IFA 2023 showcased a lot of new and exciting smartphones, but let’s not forget about the smartphone accessories that also turned heads. There are several notable accessories that impressed us at IFA, so let’s get into why we loved them.
1. Casetify’s Ultra Bounce Case
This year, we gave Casetify a spot in our2023 Best of IFA Awards, with its new protective cases wowing us. Casetify’s Ultra Impact Cases are designed to stand drops of more than 21 feet and use EcoShock™ technology to absorb 95 percent of the impact. Each corner of the case is fitted with an additional protective layer that helps the phone bounce when dropped.
On top of this, each case comes with a raised protective camera ring, a raised bezel for screen protection, and is evenMagSafe-compatible for wireless charging. Though they do have a very high price point, their extremely high levels of protection will keep your phone safe from drops and scratches.
2. Ugreen Nexode 300W GaN Charger
Ugreen’s Nexode 300W GaN charger drew in visitors at IFA 2023, boasting four USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and 140-watt single-port charging. Regardless of your fast-charging protocol, Ugreen’s Nexode 300W charger probably supports it. PD, QC, SCP, FCA, and AFC are all available with this multi-faceted charger, regardless of whether you’re charging a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
In fact, you’re able to fast-charge three laptops at once with the Ugreen Nexode 300W charger. According to the Ugreen website, you can charge a 16-inch MacBook to over half its battery capacity in just 30 minutes. All from one portable charger!
But don’t worry, this high-powered charger isn’t destined to fry itself. The Ugreen Nexode has a built-in Thermal Guard™ system that monitors temperature changes to avoid overheating. Over 6,000 temperature readings are taken every minute, and the charger’s flame-retardant PVC shell can fend off device fires.
Thankfully, we’ve already hada hands-on experience with the Ugreen 300W GaN, and were impressed with what we saw!
3. Belkin BoostCharge Wireless Charger
Ugreen wasn’t the only impressive charger we found at IFA 2023; the Belkin BoostCharge Convertible Qi2 charger also caught our eye.
You may have heard of Qi wireless charging before, andQi2 is the newer version. Qi2 incorporates magnetic connection into wireless chargers using Apple’s MagSafe standard. As the name suggests, MagSafe technology offers a way for your phone to be charged safely, even with the magnetic attraction. This may not be the first MagSafe charger from Belkin, but it is the first to have dual-mode charging.
This nifty device offers MagSafe-compatible wireless fast charging in two different modes. The Qi2 charger works as both a charging stand and a charging pad, so you can keep using your phone as it charges if you desire.
One of these charging pads is 15-watt, and the other is five-watt. The stand’s magnetic feature allows your phone to stay connected, even in an upward position.
Belkin also showcased some of its other wireless chargers at IFA, including the BoostCharge Pro Universal Easy Align wireless charging pad and the BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 wireless charging pad with Qi2. On show was also Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 140W 4-Port GaN wall charger.
4. Vention Cooler
The Vention cooler may look small, but it can have a big impact on your tech. This small semiconductor is designed to keep your tablet, phone, or laptop cool, avoiding the impact of overheating.
At IFA, we saw the Vention cooler manage to keep a can of beer chilled, chilling from the base of the can. Pretty impressive! If your devices tend to overheat regularly, this little gadget may work well for you.
Currently, this product is a prototype—but like what we saw, and think it has great potential.
5. Anker MagGo Wireless Charger
The Anker MagGo wireless charger is a magnetic phone charger that can be used at home or on the go. This product can come in the form of a wireless stand charger and can also be placed on the back of your phone for seamless charging as you go from place to place. What’s more, the MagGo uses Qi2 technology, meaning you can charge your devices faster and more efficiently.
You can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods using the MagGo charger, making it a super versatile and convenient option, especially if you’re traveling. Simply slide the charging block out of the stand if you want to use it on the go, and pop it back in when you want to charge at home.
The wireless portable charging block has a thickness of just 11.77 millimeters, so it won’t make using your phone much different than it normally would be.
What’s more, the MagGo prioritizes user safety with a MultiProtect safety system that focuses on monitoring charger temperature, fending off radiation, and detecting foreign objects.
The MagGo is only suited to newer iPhone models, meaning the iPhone 11 and older will not be compatible. Additionally, the MagGo only supports the AirPod Pro and Pro 2 models.
6. PanzerGlass iPhone Camera Protector
PanzerGlass is already known for its smartphone screen protectors, but the company showcased something a little different this year: a smartphone camera lens protector.
Though our smartphone screens are very vulnerable to breakage, our camera lenses can also be damaged. Nowadays, modern smartphones don’t just have one small lens. TheSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, for example, has four lenses and a flashlight. As the cameras on our smartphones continue to get larger, they become more exposed to cracks.
Enter PanzerGlass. This company’s PicturePerfect Camera Lens Protector is shock- and scratch-resistant and lowers the chance of your lenses cracking due to bumps and falls. The protector also doesn’t have any negative impact on your smartphone’s camera quality and is even resistant to oil and dirt from fingerprint contact. Even hand sanitizer and lotion won’t have an effect on this great tool.
At the time of writing, the PicturePerfect Camera Lens Protector is only available for theiPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max.
Smartphone Accessories Are Getting Even Cooler
As time goes on, we continue to see more impressive and useful smartphone accessories hit the market. There are more and more innovative, invaluable, and outright bizarre gadgets that pair up with our beloved smartphones, and IFA 2023 truly showed how interesting this corner of the tech industry has become.
