Pop Sockets: Tiny Invention That Took Everyone By Suprise

Have you seen those round disc-shaped buttons on everyone’s phones? These little grips attached to the back cover of your phone are called ‘pop sockets.’

What is a Pop Socket?

Since 2016, pop sockets have completely taken over the smartphone accessory industry, even gaining the attention of celebrities.

The gadget’s endless use has caused the trend to catch on: its collapsible, accordion-style stem doubles as a grip, a phone stand, and a headphone wrap. This makes it simple for users to send one-handed texts and guarantees that you’ll never unintentionally drop your phone in the middle of a call again.

What is this special gadget, you ask? A pop socket is a plastic disc-like accessory attached to a flat surface, usually a flat and matte phone surface. It comes with a self-adhesive, much like a sticker, and extends when pulled up. It’s a simple device. You slip your fingers between the phone and the socket, and it helps you have more grip and feel more comfortable holding your phone.

Although they started getting popular around 2016, they have been around for two years prior. David Barnett, the product’s original creator, began selling pop sockets solely online in 2014 out of his basement, which was branded “PopSockets.” Barnett first developed the item to prevent his wired headphones from tangling and make them easy to carry on the go. The PopSockets brand is now sold in stores throughout the country by major retail providers, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Now, it’s far and beyond. After the original pop sockets were introduced, they are now manufactured locally in about almost all countries in the world with access to smartphones. Many local retailers have introduced their own to cut costs, and China exports many of them yearly to various countries.

How Do You Use Popsockets & Can You Remove Them?

Adding a pop socket to your phone is relatively easy. However, if it’s your first time, here are some quick, easy steps to attach a pop socket to your phone case:

Choose whether you want to attach the pop socket to your phone’s cover or the phone itself. We recommend attaching pop sockets on a phone cover, as it would not leave adhesive marks on your phone, in case you remove it in the future.
Second, decide where you want to attach your pop socket. Based on how you want to use it, decide in advance where you want it to be placed. At the top, middle, or bottom?
Next, to see how it will line up, place the pop socket on the back of your phone without removing the adhesive coating. If you are attaching two pop sockets, ensure that the two line up evenly by arranging them side by side before attaching them to the back of your phone.
Now, remove the sticker from the adhesive base. Peel off the sticker on the back of the pop socket gently when you’re ready to attach it. Start at one corner of the sticker and slowly pull up on it to prevent tearing it. Do not remove the adhesive coating until you know where to place the grip.
Finally, press down the pop socket at the position you want to set it in. Press it into the area. Press down forcefully for 10 to 15 seconds to ensure it adheres to the phone.

Now that you have attached a pop socket on your phone, you may want to remove it sometime shortly. New designs and models come in every day, or perhaps you got a new phone or a cover, and you want to keep your old pop socket. In this case, you can remove your phone socket and attach it to a new phone or discard it for a new one. How? See the steps below:

If you were just using your phone or your pop socket was extended upwards, push the socket down. Do not try to take off the pop socket from your device while it is still extended. This could cause the pop socket to detach from its base, making it non-functional for future use.
You can use dental floss, ID cards, or even your fingernails in this step. Press your fingernails firmly at the base of the pop socket until you feel them slipping under. Just enough pressure should be applied to grip the pop socket successfully. At this point, the base of the popsocket should already be peeling away from your phone. If you do not have long enough fingernails or it cannot fit at the base of your popsocket, slide a few inches of dental floss under the socket. It should easily come out.
Finally, pull the pop socket off your case or phone slowly. Till the popsocket comes off, move carefully and softly. Try beginning with one side and tugging toward the other to remove the popsocket off your phone. Keep in mind that leaving your pop socket out in the open for more than 15 minutes will cause the sticky gel to dry out.

What Are Used For?

Pop sockets are tiny, but they are mighty. Do you know you can use them in many different ways? Here are the top 5 ways to use pop socket:

Media Stand: Pop sockets make fantastic stands, so use one as a media stand. You may use them to shoot group shots on a self-timer or watch films on a media stand.
Video Calls: Isn’t it tedious to hold your phone for long hours of time when you are on a video chat with your loved one? You do not want to cut your call short, but your hands hurt the same, your hands hurt. With a pop socket attached, you do not need to worry. Simply mount your phone on your laptop while you’re on a video chat, giving you hands-free operation so you can keep working on your computer or doing other work while you converse.
Earphone holder: Not everyone is comfortable using wireless earbuds these days, as they get lost and are expensive. If you are a person who still likes using wired headphones, pop sockets will be useful for you. Wrap your headphone wires around the pop sockets, and it’ll be tangle free, and you’ll never lose them as well.
Tablets: Even though pop sockets are commonly used for phones, you can use pop sockets for tablets and other larger devices. Pop sockets make it simple, secure, and pleasant to hold larger devices like tablets and e-readers. They work with smaller gadgets like GoPros as well.
Gaming: Playing games on your phone for a long time? You can have your hands at ease with these grips on your phone. The back of your phone or tablet may be equipped with two pop sockets to transform into a joystick.

Where Do You Put a PopSocket?

Pop sockets are generally used at the back of your phone. A pop socket is an extra grip for bigger smartphones or tablets. If you keep dropping your phone, a pop socket may just be what you need. If you frequently drop your phone or have problems holding a large phone comfortably, a pop socket is the solution.

How Do PopSockets Stick?

You don’t have to worry about sticking pop sockets at the back of your phone because they stick on their own! There’s no hassle of glue as most manufactured pop sockets come with sticky hell or adhesive at their back which helps the accessory to stick to your phone.

Although how strongly it sticks to your phone depends on the surface you attach it to, they usually stick very well to most surfaces. Remember never to leave your pop socket unattached after you have opened the gel seal or the sticker tab; it can easily attract fish and fine particles, which will cause it to lose its stickiness.

What Can a PopSocket Stick To?

Most pop sockets are designed to stick to any flat surface, like the back of your smartphone or its case. It’s best to stick pop sockets in a clean, flat, plastic phone case as you may have difficulty sticking it to materials like silicone, leather, waterproof, or other textured surfaces.

If you are not using a case, you can stick pop sockets directly to your phone’s metal or glass body. But be aware this may leave some adhesive marks on the body of your phone when you remove the socket, so do it after carefully considering your choices.

How Long Do PopSockets Last?

If used well, your pop socket may outlive your phone and casing. A pop socket made of polycarbonate, TPU, and polyurethane is made to collapse, inflate about 12000 times and restick more than 100 times. Your pop socket will live longer if you take better care of it. Removing your pop socket frequently will cause it to lose a little stick each time.

Can You Reuse a PopSocket?

Since pop sockets stick to any clean surface, you can reuse a pop socket. To prevent the adhesive gel from drying out, make sure to set the used pop socket on a stable, level surface when not in use. If you are not hanging jewelry from it, you may attach it to a mirror, an old phone case, or even your wall if you are not hanging it from your phone or tablet.

How can I make my phone ring stand?

If you do not like the overall design of a pop socket, you can use a phone ring stand. It’s very easy to make one right at your home. Follow the steps below to make a ring holder:

First, you’ll need a clear suction cup or a small, circular plastic pulling device. You’ll likely find them at hardware stores.
Then you need a metal paper clip and pull open one side.
Take a lighter or a candle. Heat up the metal paper clip, hot enough that it’s able to penetrate through the suction cup plastic and make a hole on both sides.
If the hole is big enough, take a ring from a key chain. Open the ring and move it through the hole.
Next, you can decorate the ring however you like. Afterward, after wiping the back of your phone or cover a couple of times, place the suction cup and press it down for 10 to 15 seconds.

That’s it. Place your finger through the ring, and your cell phone will never fall from your hands again!

Where do you put a cell phone ring holder?

Most individuals opt to attach their phone ring holder to the center of their device. Given that it looks attractive, it is the most popular location to attach a ring holder.

Although when placed at the center, people with shorter fingers may find it difficult and trisome to reach the ring and be comfortable holding on to it. This is why, most people recommend positioning the ring a bit lower than the middle. When positioned in the lower-middle position on your phone, the ring holder doesn’t seem as balanced as it does in the center, yet it works surprisingly well. It works well as a kickstand or for one-handed usage.

What is a cell phone kickstand?

Cell phone kickstands are small additions to existing cell phone covers, which can be extended to act like a pop grip or a stand when you are viewing videos or talking to someone via video chat. They are intended to be placed on a hard surface, such as a table or desk. Sometimes it may be uncomfortable to hold onto your phone for long hours of time, so these kickstand cases address this issue by including a hinged stand that elevates the device to a comfortable viewing position.

You might want to know more about: Best Phone Kickstand Review In 2022

Conclusion

Consider investing in a pop socket if you habitually drop your phone. They are inexpensive and come in colorful shapes and sizes, which gives protection and enhances your phone’s visual appearance.