Hands on with the Apple iPhone 5c dock

Apple didn't just release 2 new phones this past week, it also released a bunch of official accessories to go with them. Apple skipped a generation with the iPhone 5 with regards to offering up a dock, but with the release of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c they're back. What we've got here is the iPhone 5c dock, that doubles up and will also cater quite nicely for the iPhone 5/5s.

On the hardware front, we're looking at another delightfully minimal effort from Apple, very much following on from what came before it. White plastic exterior, line out port and Lightning in port on the rear, Lightning connector in the recess at the front. Underneath we're treated to an Apple branded rubber base to stop things sliding around, but otherwise that's about it. There's no Lightning cable in the box – as with previous docks – so you will need to use the one that came with your iPhone.

Unfortunately, I don't have an iPhone 5c to hand just yet, but as previously mentioned it houses the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s just fine. The extra thickness of the iPhone 5c means that things work this way round, but the 5c wouldn't fit the iPhone 5s dock. Unlocking using Touch ID is a little awkward, but if you want a dock that fits both phones then you could do a lot worse.

And that's it. There's nothing else to say about it, because it's exactly what it says on the box. A dock for your iPhone 5c – and your iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s. Minimalist, practical, and exactly what we want from an iPhone dock. And it doesn't cost the earth, either. A welcome return to the accessories game for Apple.