Mobile by Peak Design is unveiled. Did Peak Design just make the perfect phone mount?

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Peak Design’s magnetic mounting system can fix your phone to your handlebars, your wall, your car’s dash and its own mini-tripod

Mobile by Peak Design
The Peak Design mount system is built around a square SlimLink magnetic attachment built into the Peak Design Everyday Case or a separate Universal Adaptor. (Image credit: Peak Design)

Modern phones are so good at photography and video that you’ll probably want to use them EVERYWHERE. And now, with Peak Design’s ultra-clever magnetic mounting system, you probably can.

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It’s based around the company’s SlimLink mounting system, which we’re told has been in development for four years. It’s a slim, square attachment mechanism just 2.4mm thick that’s built into Peak Design’s Everyday Case, which will be available for a iPhone and Samsung devices, but there is also a slim Universal Adaptor which can attach to practically any phone or hard non-textured case via its own adhesive pad. 

The SlimLink system has a square inner mounting slot/recess backed by magnets, and the Peak Design mounts have corresponding square panels which snap into this slot via powerful magnets. Some mounts, like the bike mount, will have an additional spring loaded physical lock for extra security.

Mobile by Peak Design

If you don't want to get the Peak Design case, you can get a Universal Adaptor which sticks securely to your existing case. (Image credit: Peak Design)

We’ve tried early pre-production samples, and the magnets are extremely powerful and once in place the phone mounts feel rock-solid. The mini-tripod is mini-masterpiece of design and engineering, folding flat to a shape no longer or wider than a credit card.

The square mounting design of the SlimLink system means you can attach the mount with the phone either horizontal or vertical.

Mobile by Peak Design

The bike mount has an arm which clamps securely to the handlebars and has an additional mechanical lock where it attaches to the phone case. (Image credit: Peak Design)

Mobile by Peak Design

If your motorcycle doesn't have regular bars, there will be a stem mount too. (Image credit: Peak Design)

What about iPhone 12 MagSafe?

Phone fans will be aware that the just-launched iPhone 12 has its own magnetic mounting system. That sounds like it could be bad news for a company that’s just launched its own magnetic mounting system, but Peak Design says the timing is perfect and it’s aiming for cross-compatibility between its own system and Apple’s MagSafe.

Peak Design says its own soft-locking mounts and accessories  including the Tripod, Wallet, Charging Stand, Wall Mount and Car Mounts, will work with Apple MagSafe phones and cases.

Mobile by Peak Design

Peak Design is making its own magnetic wallet add-on but says its system will be compatible with Apple's own MagSafe attachment tech. (Image credit: Peak Design)

You will also be able to charge your iPhone 12 in a Peak Design Everyday Case on an Apple MagSafe charger and other Apple MagSafe accessories, like the Apple wallet, will attach to the Peak Design case.

Mobile by Peak Design

Why leave your phone skittering around your work desk when you can use this neat tilting stand instead? (Image credit: Peak Design)

What are the mounts and when can you get them?

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the mounts will include the mini-tripod, bicycle mount, motorcycle mount (steering stem), car (dash) mount, wall mount, tilting desk mount and wallet.

Mobile by Peak Design

The car mount uses a ball head attached to a base that fixes to your car dash with a sticky adhesive pad. (Image credit: Peak Design)

The bad news is that although the products are announced now, Peak Design is not expecting to start shipping them via the Peak Design website or retailers until Spring 2020.

We also have no word yet on pricing – from previous Peak Design products we would expect premium pricing based on the quality of the manufacture, but affordable nonetheless.

Peak Design’s aim is to make your phone available for a whole range of uses and a constant companion not just in your pocket but available to record all your travels and adventures, which does make the Mobile by Peak Design system sound a lot more interesting than just another phone case.

Read more:

• Best iPhone for photography
• Best phone cases
• Best iPhone 11 cases
• Best iPhone supports
• Best smartphone gimbals

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Rod Lawton
Rod Lawton
Contributor

Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com