What are the best accessories for using your iPhone in the car? Here are out picks!
For many, the iPhone, whether for listening to music and podcasts for getting directions from Maps, has become an essential part of their driving experience. There are a number of products out there that will help you get the most out of your iPhone while you're in the car, from audio to power. Here are some of the best.
- TechMatte MagGrip air vent magnetic universal car mount
- AUKEY Nylon Braided Lightning cable
- AUKEY Nylon Braided Aux cable
- Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter
- Belkin Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar
- Anker PowerDrive 2 with Lightning cable
TechMatte MagGrip air vent magnetic universal car mount
Especially if you don't use CarPlay, a mount is an essential accessory for quick access to your iPhone if you need it while driving. While you shouldn't be performing complex tasks (don't text and drive, for instance), if you need to take a quick look at some directions or pause audio, it's better to have a mount.
The TechMatte MagGrip, one of our favorite mounts, works because it's very simple and easy to use. You clip it to one of your air vents, then it magnetically attaches when you touch your iPhone to it. The MagGrip lets you drive with an unobstructed view, while still keeping your iPhone well within reach.
It's also inexpensive and is available on Amazon for just $7.99.
AUKEY Nylon Braided Lightning cable
While you can probably get by with the Lightning cable the comes with your iPhone, but what you're really going to want is another cable. AUKEY's Braided Nylon Lightning cable, a previous favorite of ours, is a solid choice, offering protection against wear and tear, and speaking from experience, this is something you're definitely going to want.
AUKEY's cable is MFi certified (as any cable you buy for your iPhone ought to be) and is sheathed in durable branded nylon, with reinforced aluminum shielding underneath. Over time, you standard Apple Lightning cable will succumb to wear and tear, while AUKEY's extra protection should allow you to keep charging without worry.
You can get the 3.95-foot AUKEY Lightning Cable in silver, white/black, and gold from Amazon for $10.99.
AUKEY Nylon Braided Aux cable
While many car stereos let you plug into a USB port for audio, some older models might require a 3.5mm audio cable in order for you to listen to your music and podcasts. To that end, we turn back to AUKEY and its 4-foot 3.5mm Nylon Braided audio cable.
It's not particularly fancy, which in an audio cable is good. It's a standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, meant for headphone jacks. But that little bit of extra durability provided by the cable's braided nylon helps out in the long run.
You can get the AUKEY 3.5mm Nylon Braided audio cable in white from Amazon for $4.99.
Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter
So you've got a car stereo that requires a 3.5mm audio cable, but you've also got an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, which doesn't come with that sort of audio jack built in. The good news, however, is that right in your iPhone 7's box, Apple included its handy Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. If you need an extra one, you can get it from Apple for $9.99.
Belkin Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar
Of course, if you're using that headphone jack adapter and you want power while listening to music or getting directions in Maps as you drive, you're going to need yet another adapter. This is where Belkin's Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar comes in. This adapter features two Lightning ports, which allow you to charge your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus while listening to music through a wired audio connection.
All (HA!) you need to do is plug the adapter into your iPhone, plug the Lightning cable attached to your charger into the RockStar, then do the same with the Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. With that done, you'll be good to go.
Anker PowerDrive 2 with Lightning cable
If you're taking a longer trip, a charger is essential for using your iPhone in your car. The Anker PowerDrive 2 offers an unobtrusive charging experience that helps deliver all of the power you need. The PowerDrive 2 comes with its own MFi-certified Lightning cable and is packed with Anker's PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technologies in order to intelligently deliver power as fast as possible no matter what device you use.
The PowerDrive 2 features two USB ports, letting both you and a passenger plug into up to 24 watts of power. But more than just power delivery, Anker focuses on safety, with features like surge protection, temperature control, and more.
If color variety is important to you, you'll want to look elsewhere, but you can get the PowerDrive 2 with Lightning cable from Amazon for $14.99
What do you use?
Do you have any favorite accessories to use with you iPhone while in the car? Let us know in the comments.
Reader comments
Best accessories for your iPhone in the car
Any advice on HUDs on the market already, or ones to come? Best for working with Apple CarPlay and iPhone? Best for displaying GPS, OBD information from car, and texts or phone calls? Hudly, Carloudy, Navdy, etc?
We're definitely looking into it!
IMHO: ProClip is the best mount--customizable to your car. Also, spray paint your Apple charging cable black; I've heard law enforcement says white cables make thieves more likely to break in because Apple gear is in high demand etc.
I'm a big fan of the iOttie OneTouch mounts, and they have several different versions: suction cup for your dash, vent clip, CD slot, magnetic... even one that fits to the handle bar of a bicycle.
I've been a big fan of Arkon Mounts (http://www.arkon.com) for more than 15 years. Their car mounts are great; and I'd highly recommend their iPhone mounts (http://www.arkon.com/category/iphone-car-mount.html). I've got them in nearly every car I drive.
As for spray painting your cables black, I don't recommend it. You're got to be very careful with masking so that paint doesn't get on any of your connectors; and then depending on the type of paint you use, the cables could remain tacky. If you want a non-standard looking iDevice cable, get something that doesn't look like an Apple branded cable (just make certain that its MFI certified...). The AUKEY Nylon Braided Lightning cable is a GREAT example of something like this. It gets the job done, but doesn't look like your standard Lightning cable.