A screen assists in framing selfies with the iPhone’s rear cameras—if you can tolerate its quirks.
The Selfix phone case serves as an example of a promising concept that falters in execution.
This case for the iPhone 17 Pro incorporates a circular screen on the back. It duplicates the center of your main phone screen, facilitating selfies with your phone’s superior rear cameras instead of the front camera. The idea is commendable, though the execution could be improved.
Though selfie cameras have improved significantly, the larger sensors and lenses of the rear cameras provide advantages like slow-motion video, superior low-light performance, and enhanced portrait mode photos. The Selfix case allows for this, albeit with some tolerance required.
The Selfix, designed for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, features a rear-camera selfie screen. It’s a good idea that doesn’t perform as expected.
The Selfix case is currently available for preorder on Kickstarter, with a retail price of $129 and backer pricing at $79. Despite the early bird discount, there are significant reservations. It is bulky, and while I typically don’t use cases, making it feel large on the iPhone 17 Pro, its size seems unjustifiable. On the upside, it includes a microSD card slot meeting UHS-I, Class 10, U3, and V30 standards for 4K video recording, provided the card is fast enough.
The main issue with the Selfix is its inefficiency. The circular screen with a 1.6-inch diameter cuts off much of the main screen’s preview. With thick bezels, the screen area is smaller than expected, leading to some guesswork. Centering your face results in selfies with excess space above.
The Selfix’s screen is touch-sensitive, but tap-to-focus wasn’t consistently effective. The tested unit was a “Beta” model, possibly contributing to issues. Taking a photo or video requires the phone’s volume keys, as the screen’s virtual shutter button is inaccessible. The lack of recording indication when shooting video is disconcerting, adding to the guesswork.
Additional issues include limited wired connections, allowing only charging without data transfer like wired CarPlay or USB file transfers. You must remove the case for these functions. It supports MagSafe accessories but no wireless charging.
Forgetfulness can cause the rear screen to remain on post-selfie, potentially exposing sensitive information. Though there’s a toggle button and Dynamic Island indicates an accessory connection, there’s no consistent reminder of screen mirroring, which could lead to unintended exposure.
I appreciate offbeat phone accessories and the Selfix’s multifunctionality—to enhance selfies, expand storage, and protect the phone—but I wish it executed its primary function more effectively.
Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge