Is Apple’s $99 Crossbody Strap Worth It?

By Ben McKimm - News

Published: 26 Sep 2025

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Readtime: 5 min

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The new iPhones grab all the attention, but with every new release, Apple drops an unexpected product that cuts through like a hot knife to butter. More often than not, it’s a controversial product, such as their AUD$29 Polishing Cloth or their AUD$1,049 Apple Mac Pro Wheels Kit. Other times, it’s a product that arrives on time, on trend, and with an established customer base that can’t wait to get their hands on it.

This year, that product is the Apple Crossbody Strap (AUD$99), which was released alongside the new iPhone 17, Watch Series 11, and iPhone Air. Because of the appeal of crossbody phone straps in overseas markets, many have already earmarked it as the brand’s next most successful product.

I’ve been using the new Apple Crossbody Strap with the iPhone 17 Pro Max that I’ve been reviewing, and today we’re going to explore my initial thoughts surrounding it, now that I’ve had a chance to live with it. However, let’s first take care of a bit of housekeeping. It comes in 10 colours and is only compatible with a select group of iPhone cases at the time of publication. Second, we were provided with this product for this review, but Apple won’t read, see, or hear about this before we publish it. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look closer at the strap.

Specs and What’s in the Box

Here are some key specs to note before we get into the full review:

• Price: AUD$99
• Colours:
  • Neon Yellow
  • Light Blue
  • Blue
  • Purple
  • Sienna
  • Orange
  • Tan
  • Green
  • Light Grey
  • Black
• Dimensions:
  • Maximum strap length: 2,080 mm (81.9 inches)
  • Minimum strap length: 1,080 mm (42.5 inches)

When you purchase the Apple Crossbody Strap, it arrives in the typically thoughtful Apple packaging, with all of the sliding, pulling, and gluey ASMR we’ve come to expect from the brand. Inside the package, you’ll find a strap and two smaller pieces of hardware that help attach it to your compatible iPhone case.

Design and Function

Look, there’s not much to unpack when talking about a piece of recycled plastic that holds your iPhone and slips over your body, but as is always the case with Apple products, the devil is in the details.

The brand has clearly spent way too much time engineering this strap, as it’s sturdier than any other crossbody phone strap we’ve ever used. You immediately notice the premium feel of the material, which is made from 100 per cent recycled PET yarns. This is a fancy way of saying it’s made from recycled plastic, but you’d think it was a high-end canvas had I not told you that. Like the woven case on the phone, they’re making luxury car interiors out of this stuff, so don’t be surprised when we tell you that it’s smooth and drapes comfortably across your body.

That premium feel continues with the two buttons at the end of the strap, which allow you to remove it quickly. I do wish it were a little easier to take off, but I can see how the brand has had to balance security, design, and function. Many people who wear this strap will do so when travelling to countries that have pickpocket problems.

The last functional element is the strap itself, which is adjustable from a maximum of 2,080 mm (81.9 inches) to 1,080 mm (42.5 inches). You’ll often lengthen the strap to make it easier to use, e.g. to tap your credit card at a pay machine.

Verdict

Before I hand down my verdict, it’s important to note that you’ll need a compatible case to use the Apple Crossbody Strap. That means paying more money and purchasing a compatible case, which starts at AUD$79 for the iPhone 17 Silicone Case with MagSafe. The case I’ve been using with my phone is the new iPhone 17 Pro Max TechWoven Case with MagSafe, and it’s proven to be a comfortable choice so far, with no durability issues to mention. Still, if I had the choice, I’d probably just opt for a colour-matched silicone.

Sadly, if you’re not an iPhone 17 user, the crossbody strap only works with the new iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models when a compatible case is fitted. However, given its popularity, I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes its way to other models in the future.

Is it worth the circa-$200 price tag to buy the Apple Crossbody Strap and a compatible case for your new iPhone? Well, that very much depends on how often you’ll use it.

The strap does feel very high-quality in the hand and on your body. It would be a stretch to tell you to go out and buy it, but it certainly feels significantly higher quality than the cheaper alternatives you’ll find online. How much you value that depends, again, on how often you’ll use it.