The Cool New Phone Case That The iPhone Can Use (But The Pixel Can't)

Apple gave the iPhone 17 series a big selfie camera upgrade last September. A new 18-megapixel Center Stage front camera can take landscape selfies without rotating the phone, and there are several other improvements to photo and video quality when compared to older models. Using the rear camera system, which features three lenses, will let you shoot even better selfies. The problem is that you don't have a viewfinder if you go that route, so you'll need to point the camera at you, look at the lenses, and hope for the best. 

That's where the Selfix iPhone case comes into play, an accessory that has a built-in high-quality display that acts as a viewfinder for taking selfies with the rear camera. The case is only available for iPhone users, supporting the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. Similar solutions for the Google Pixel 10 series or Samsung's new Galaxy S26 phones aren't available for preorder. That's because Selfix is a Kickstarter project rather than a full-fledged company ready to offer accessories for various smartphones. The new case is made explicitly for the iPhone.

With over three weeks to go until its funding deadline, as of this writing, the Selfix case has already surpassed its $5,000 goal, raising over $12,700 from 127 backers. The Selfix is available to order for $79 during the Kickstarter campaign, or $50 off its future retail price. It comes in white, pink, and black. The price and colors are valid for both the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max versions.

The Selfix case is a little bulkier than traditional iPhone cases, but that's because it has to house its own main board, chips, and a 1.6-inch rear-facing touchscreen OLED panel with a resolution of 480 by 480. The case will still offer protection to the handset, in addition to new features. That's plural, as the Selfix case has one more hidden feature on top of acting as a secondary display for taking selfies with the main camera system. iPhone users who purchase the case can use microSD cards to expand the storage space of their iPhones. The microSD card can be inserted inside the case. Selfix supports cards up to 2 TB. That's a feature Android users might appreciate as well, as phones like the Pixel 10 do not support microSD cards either.

The Selfix connects to the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max via its built-in USB-C connector, which is how the case becomes a display for the handset. The rear-facing screen will mirror the iPhone's display, thus enabling the camera viewfinder feature. When using the iPhone's default Camera app, the rear display will also support zooming in and out. All you have to do is touch the bottom of the screen, similar to how you'd use zoom on the iPhone's main screen. The rear display will work with third-party camera apps as well.

The case has a built-in button to stop the circular display from mirroring the main iPhone screen when you don't need to take selfies with the rear camera. That's a useful feature to have to ensure the contents of the iPhone's screen aren't visible to those around you, and that the case doesn't drain your battery by having the second display powered at all times.

The Selfix case may have gone viral, convincing many people to order it from Kickstarter, but there are some downsides to using it. For starters, the case is slightly bulkier than regular cases. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are already the thickest iPhones in Apple's lineup. Adding extra bulk to the case may not be something all buyers appreciate. Dimensions aside, it's MagSafe charging that some iPhone owners may be worried about.

The Kickstarter page shows that the ring around the circular OLED panel on the back is magnetic, saying that the case supports MagSafe grips and mounts. It says nothing about MagSafe power banks or MagSafe charging, however. The good news is that 9to5Mac discovered that MagSafe charging is supported, though it doesn't appear to be an official feature. The Selfix case has its own USB-C charging port that allows you to charge the iPhone at up to 45 W. Finally, the case also supports all of the iPhone's buttons, including the Camera Control button, which is how you'd take selfies using the rear-facing display. It can also be used with lanyards, like other iPhone cases.

As for Pixel users, all of Google's phones starting with the Pixel 8 series can connect to external displays via a wired USB-C connection. Ultimately, they could work with a version of the Selfix case, if the manufacturer decided to make one that supports Pixel phones.