Belkin has announced The Stage PowerGrip, a magnetic battery pack that serves as a DSLR-style ergonomic grip for iPhone photography, a phone stand, and an additional wired charger for your other devices. It will be available in May, with pricing details coming later.
The PowerGrip is an odd-looking accessory until you see it attached to a phone. It is clearly designed to provide the look and feel of a traditional camera. It features Bluetooth pairing to enable a “shutter button” on the top of the grip, allowing you to take photos with the iOS camera app.
Additionally, the PowerGrip has a built-in retractable USB-C cable and a 10,000mAh battery for charging other devices. It offers wireless 7.5-watt charging for an attached iPhone, and a small LED screen on the front will show how much battery it has left. Belkin says it will come in powder blue, sandbox (a brown sandy color), fresh yellow, black, and black pepper (an almost black dark brown).
Belkin's take on this is similar to others you can find on Amazon, though mostly they're from brands with alphabet soup-style names. Apple sells a version of this concept called ShiftCam ProGripLike Belkin's device, it adds a physical shutter button to your phone and also works as a charger, but it costs $149.95. Belkin hasn't announced pricing for the PowerGrip, but considering it's cheap, it might be worth a look if you're interested in iPhone photography.