Rode, a company known for its many microphone options and the cornerstone of many a podcast company, has announced two new products that are designed to help creators take the show on the road while leveraging the power of their iPhones.
The two products, dubbed the Magnetic Mount and Phone Cage, were announced at the NAB 2024 event and are both available for preorder today. They both also take advantage of the iPhone's MagSafe technology to wirelessly and magnetically attach to the back of the iPhone 12 or newer, including the latest iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineups.
Both of the new accessories are set to ship on April 24 and are designed to offer different things, whether that's a way for pro filmmakers to get their work done or for TikTokers to have an easy way to mount lights and microphones to a stand.
Magnetic Mount
Starting with the Magnetic Mount, buyers will pay $90 and preorders are available from B&H Photo right now. For that money, you can expect a magnetic attachment that "features an ultra-strong magnet for complete security, even with vigorous use, and comes with three removable attachments for maximum flexibility." That flexibility "includes both short and long cold shoe arms for shooting in landscape or portrait mode, plus a long arm for mounting your smartphone onto a tripod, handle or desktop arm for use in a wide range of video or content creation applications."
This all means that creators can attach microphones, lights, and other accessories to their iPhone via the aluminum construction. The 1/4-inch thread should ensure compatibility with all good tripods, handles, and desktop arms as well.
Phone Cage
The phone cage is a different beast and is designed to "transform your iPhone into a pro filmmaking rig," Rode's website says. It'll do that for $120 when it goes on sale, but again preorders are already open.
Described as a premium magnetic mobile filmmaking cage, this accessory definitely sounds like it has what creators are likely to need. "Featuring an ultra-secure mounting system for attaching a MagSafe iPhone or other smartphone with a MagSafe-compatible case, cable management slots, five cold shoe mounts for attaching microphones and lights, and a wide array of 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch threads for use with tripods, handles and other accessories, it is the perfect solution for elevating your smartphone content," the Rode blurb explains.
Designed to work in both portrait and landscape orientation, there should be more than enough flexibility for those who need to get the job done using an iPhone.
The iPhone has long been the go-to for creators who want to capture great quality video and audio while on the move, but adding accessories like lights, microphones, and more really can take the production value up a notch. Accessories like those announced by Rode definitely work towards doing just that, and the pricing seems reasonable if you've made a career out of using Apple's best iPhones to capture footage away from a studio.
Remember that neither of these products will be ready to go until the end of April but you can preorder yours today if you absolutely must have these accessories as soon as they become available. B&H Photo is Rode's retail partner in the US, but other online stores are available in other countries, too.
