If you have ever seen an expandable phone grip on the back of a smartphone, then the odds are that it was designed by PopSockets. Today PopSockets announced its largest product update since the company introduced the original phone grip in 2010.
The new product is known as the first swappable PopGrip. With the new PopGrip, you can easily change out the swappable PopTop by pushing the top down, twisting, and releasing the button portion of the grip. This could be especially useful if you want your PopTop to match your outfit or personality. And the new PopGrip also makes it easier for wireless charging on your device.
Photo: PopSockets
One of the biggest reasons why PopSockets launched the new swappable PopGrips is because there is an abundance of on-trend designs and popular licensed properties. The new swappable PopGrips enables you to easily swap the design of the grip as often as people want without having to replace the whole accessory.
“I don’t like to be forced to choose one PopSockets grip over another. And that’s why I like the new PopGrips, with swappable PopTops,” said PopSockets founder and CEO David Barnett. “It’s a completely new way to collect, and swap your favorite designs and materials.”
In the past, you would have to peel an adhesive off the phone and replace it with a new grip to change your style. Consumers often express their styles based on different sports, movies, and fashion.
PopGrip from PopSockets makes it easier to take selfies and send text messages with one hand. And it is also a great way to prevent your phone from falling as you hold it. Plus it also works as a kickstand, which makes video chatting and watching video content easier.
How much does it cost? The swappable PopGrips cost $10 for a complete set and $8 for the swappable PopTop for regular designs. And it costs $15 for the complete set and $13 for PopTops with special materials.
Prior to launching PopSockets, Barnett studied philosophy at Emory University, physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, and received a Ph.D. in philosophy from NYU. Between 2005-2015, Barnett also worked as a philosophy professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. Barnett’s research was based on the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind.
Barnett started looking for ways to prevent his earbud cords from getting tangled in 2010. After gluing two buttons to the back of his phone, he was able to wrap the earbud cord around it. That was his a-ha moment. While developing the original PopGrip, Barnett developed about 60 prototypes. Then in 2012, he launched a Kickstarter campaign for an iPhone case that would have two PopGrips integrated into the case. That crowdfunding campaign got successfully funded. Since Barnett started building the business out of his garage in 2014, the company has sold more than 40 million PopGrips around the world.
