Christmas Gift Guide 2019: 15 gadget gift ideas for Apple fans

Native Union DROP XL Wireless Charger (£100)

One day, all domestic surfaces will be inductive and keeping your Apple ensemble fully juiced will be as easy as dropping your iPhone on the counter next to your Space Grey Cupertino kettle. Until then, this extra-large charging pad is the way to go.

Topped by grippy silicone, it can zap two devices wirelessly at the same time – think AirPods and iPhone – while filling a third via USB. And, while it’s not one to chop on, the textile and aluminium finish rivals your polished concrete kitchen for industrial chic.

Apple AirPods Pro (£249)

Mates still making jibes about your love for Jony Ive? Block out their aluminium banter with the second coming of Cupertino’s cult ‘buds – now with active noise cancellation. Microphones inside and out constantly adapt the audio to suit your surroundings, so you’ll always get the best from your mega mix of Apple advert music.

A customisable fit also keeps them snug in any lug, while a force sensor on the shorter stem puts Siri just a tap away. The best bit? Transparency mode lets outside sounds in, so you’ll never miss a word of Pro appreciation from fellow fans.

Nodus Shell Case II (£40)

Apple products have always had a kind of magnetism, but wrap your iPhone 11 in this Italian leather case and it’ll really stick to walls. Shock absorbent, shielded and compatible with wireless chargers, its hidden skill is revealed when you pair it with the bundled Micro Dock. Attach the little magnetic strip almost anywhere you fancy and, using nothing but the power of physics, your mobile will hold fast.

So, no, the Nodus case won’t make your Pro the world’s most expensive fridge decoration, but mount it by the microwave and you’ll have a sous chef straight from Cupertino.

Mous FlexLine (£20)

Like sporks and Swiss Army Knives, the best accessories are multi-talented – and this ultra-tough Lightning cable is no exception. Strengthened with an aramid fibre braid, it’s been tested to withstand 10,000 bends and is reinforced at both ends.

Great for reliable iDevice charging, even better as an emergency escape tool: thanks to all that durability, it can lift a 140kg load. Sling it from your window like an Apple-certified Rapunzel and you’ve got a rappelling route to freedom. Just don’t sue us if your knot comes undone.

Harber London Slim Leather MacBook Sleeve (£69)

Hiding your slim-as-a-mint MacBook Air inside a baggy pouch is a crime against design. Want a case that respects your laptop’s slender measurements? Harber’s latest leather sleeve is its slimmest ever.

Streamlined, refined and tailored to fit like a lovely glove, the case’s wool felt lining adds minimal bulk to its barely-there build, while also protecting your wafer-thin baby from clumsy bumps and scrapes.

Elago W6 Stand (£15)

As Apple learnt from the Songs of Innocence fiasco, putting unexpected items inside an iPod isn’t always a good idea. But sticking an Apple Watch in this silicone reincarnation of an iPod Classic definitely is.

Styled like the distinctive U2 special edition first seen in 2004, put your magnetic charger in the back of the stand, set your background to Bono’s portrait and drop in your Watch for an upstanding ode to old-school Cupertino.

Logitech Rugged Folio (£120)

Creative power doesn’t come more portable than the latest iPad, with its 10.2in Retina display and Apple Pencil support. The only problem? With great portability comes great risk: chiefly that you’ll chuck your tablet across the platform as your rush to make your train. Thankfully, this folio nails productivity and protection in equal measure.

The shell surpasses military drop test standards, while the integrated full-size keyboard is silent, spill-resistant and sports a range of iOS shortcuts to scythe through tasks. There’s a tilting kickstand for versatile viewing, too, and a little loop so you’ll never forget your stylus.

Nordic Appeal MacBook Rack (€69)

A winter woodwork project might sound like a rewarding way to escape the hubbub and Michael Bublé music that fills the house at Christmas, but without heaters in your workshop you’ll soon be shivering as you saw. Bag this walnut stand for your MacBook and, while you won’t be rewarded with the warm glow of crafting satisfaction, at least your fingers won’t be too frozen to appreciate the smooth curves of its sustainable Danish construction.

Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 (£50)

If you ever need proof of the potential of a solitary port, this all-in-one hub is your primary evidence. Stick it in the side of your MacBook or iPad and, from a single USB-C port, you’ll get two USB 3.0 slots, an HDMI port that supports 4K, an ethernet socket and an SD card reader, in addition to a 60W USB-C Power Delivery slot to replace the one you’ve plugged the whole thing into.

Sure, Apple could have put all those ports on your MacBook in the first place but, well, that just wouldn’t be brave.

Apple HomePod (£279)

As Christmas guests go, Siri’s up there with the best – especially when housed in Apple’s svelte domestic cylinder. A great listener thanks to a six-microphone setup, the digital assistant also possesses a depth of musical wisdom that’s enough to trump even your audiophile uncle’s anal knowledge of Seventies alt pop.

Seven tweeters and a woofer make the whole HomePod a proper party starter, while one voice command is all it takes stop the noise. Which is more than you can say for your relations.

Apple Watch Alaskan Blue Sport Loop (£49)

Run without gloves this winter and there’s a chance your hands will turn Alaskan Blue. Wrap this Watch band of the same shade around your wrist and, while it won’t do anything for your frozen fingertips, at least you’ll be colour coordinated.

Lightweight, breathable and a welcome change from the usual silicone sports straps, it’s neat enough to go from morning jog to daily job – even if you’re too cold to type when you get there.

Nomad Rugged AirPods Case (£25)

You have to feel for cases. Always sheathing and protecting, getting dropped, scratched and bashed in the name of what they contain. But sometimes a case just wants to be held. Show your AirPod repository how much you care by slipping it into this Horween holder.

Like a rugged Russian doll, it encases your case in sumptuous luxury, while still playing nice with wireless charging. Over years of use, its leather skin will develop a patina that proudly displays its devotion to protective duty before it, too, craves a cuddle. And so the cycle continues.

Olloclip Essential Lenses for iPhone XR (£80)

Quality trumps quantity, but the three snappers on the iPhone 11 Pro are superior to just about everything – including the capable camera on your iPhone XR. Don’t suffer lens envy: stick this Olloclip atop your one-shot blower to unlock a world of triple vision.

Shipped with three Connect X lenses – macro, super-wide and fisheye – simply interchange them as you please to mix up your mobile photography. Pro what?

Apple Watch Series 5 (from £399)

Apple’s previous Watch was already awesome. From a full suite of fitness smarts to a shell that set the bar for every smartwatch, putting Siri on your wrist was a very appealing prospect. So what was left to change for Series 5? One thing that’s everything: the display.

No more snoozing, the screen now stays on constantly, which means even quicker interaction and a Watch that’s more of a watch than ever. So find a face and go shout about it – but not too loud, or the new Noise app might give you a warning.

Twelve South Air Fly Pro (£50)

Until Twelve South released its in-flight Bluetooth adapter, AirPod owners had no choice but to lip read on the long haul while sadly fondling their purposeless earbuds. Problem solved, the perennial peripheral maker decided to go one better.

Meet the AirFly Pro: plugged in to any 3.5mm jack, it can beam an audio stream to two pairs of AirPods simultaneously, so you can share the soundtrack with your travelling companion. Whether you let them lean in to see your screen is a different question.