If you have an old Apple Watch and you’re not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis.
When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works through “carefully mechanized components” that make direct contact with the Digital Crown on Apple Watch.
The TinyPod website suggests that a cellular version of the Apple Watch could be placed inside the TinyPod and used as a miniature phone, without the need to carry an iPhone. The case leaves the back of the Apple Watch exposed, but it is worth noting that actually using an Apple Watch this way would be frustrating because it uses skin contact for authentication.
If the TinyPod were tucked away in a pocket, the Apple Watch would need to be unlocked with a passcode every time it was used, since there is no Face ID or Touch Id. The alternative would be leaving the watch unlocked without a passcode, but that’s not particularly secure.
Using TinyPod requires turning off wrist detection, which is the feature that keeps the Apple Watch unlocked with skin contact. TinyPod positions this as a bonus that allows for longer multi-day battery life, but at the same time highlights Apple Pay and Name Drop, features that would require authentication via passcode. With the back of the Apple Watch exposed, charging can be done with a standard Apple Watch charging puck.
TinyPod is available in 40/41mm, 44/45mm, and 49mm sizes to fit all Apple Watch models. It is compatible with the Series 4 and later, as well as the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra.
TinyPod’s creators introduced it earlier this year, but the device is now available for purchase. It can be ordered from the TinyPod website for $80, with a lite model that does not feature a click wheel available for $30.