If you're searching for the perfect holiday gift and thinking about Apple Inc. (AAPL), you might want to know that the company just released what the internet is calling a "$200 iPhone sock." And honestly? They're not entirely wrong.

The iPhone Pouch That Launched a Thousand Memes

This November, Apple unveiled the iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knit cross-body pouch designed to hold an iPhone, AirPods, and maybe a credit card or two. It's being marketed as the intersection of fashion and technology, which is one way to describe a very expensive fabric bag.

The accessory comes from a collaboration with the Issey Miyake Design Studio, the same Japanese fashion house that created Steve Jobs' iconic black turtlenecks. So there's genuine design pedigree here, even if the product looks like something your aunt might knit after a YouTube tutorial.

You can wear it as a sling, wrap it around your wrist, or clip it to a handbag. Apple offers a short-strap version for $149.95 in eight bright colors, while the long-strap model runs $229.95 and comes in more subdued shades. For context, that's about the same price as a decent pair of AirPods Pro, except those actually play music.

The premium pricing for what amounts to a fabric carrier naturally sparked online mockery, with comparisons to Apple's previous sock-related adventures. But here's the thing: this isn't even close to the strangest product Apple has tried to sell during the holiday season.

The Mouse That Everyone Hated

Cast your mind back to 1998, when Apple shipped the original iMac with a round mouse affectionately dubbed the "hockey puck." Its small, circular shape made it genuinely difficult to use, earning it a spot on every "worst tech products ever" list published since. You couldn't tell which direction it was pointing without looking, which is not ideal for a device you're supposed to control by feel.

Would it have made a terrible Christmas gift? Absolutely. Would it have started conversations? Also absolutely.

When Apple Made Half-Million-Dollar Earbuds

Before AirPods revolutionized wireless audio, Apple experimented with a different kind of premium audio experience. The company created a single pair of EarPods made from 18-karat rose gold, designed in collaboration with U2 frontman Bono.

This one-off creation sold at auction for $461,000 in 2013. Yes, you read that correctly. Nearly half a million dollars for a pair of wired earbuds that probably sounded worse than modern $30 alternatives. But hey, they were exclusive.

That Time Apple Sold Polo Shirts and Kitchen Knives

In the mid-1980s, Apple launched The Apple Collection, a lifestyle brand that sold polo shirts, sailboards, Swiss Army knives, and branded household items like beer mugs. The entire venture was short-lived, which makes sense when you consider that most people prefer their technology companies to focus on, well, technology.

Still, imagine wrapping up an Apple-branded sailboard and putting it under the Christmas tree. That would certainly solve the "what to get Dad this year" problem, even if it created several new problems in the process.

The iPhone Prototypes We Never Saw

Apple's design process has produced some truly odd creations behind closed doors. Early iPhone prototypes included bulky humps, unconventional shapes, and even octagonal designs that look downright bizarre compared to the sleek devices we know today. The experimentation underscores just how much trial and error went into creating the smartphone that eventually reshaped the entire mobile industry.

Some of those prototypes would have made fascinating conversation pieces, though probably terrible actual phones.

What This All Means for Apple

The iPhone Pocket might seem overpriced for a fabric carrier, but it fits perfectly into Apple's history of testing unusual product ideas. Some become cultural phenomena, while others become punchlines. The difference often comes down to whether people actually want the thing being sold.

For what it's worth, market analysis indicates that Apple maintains a positive outlook across short, medium, and long-term horizons. So apparently selling $200 phone pouches isn't hurting the bottom line.

The real question this holiday season: Would you rather receive an iPhone Pocket or just get the iPhone itself? The answer seems obvious, but then again, people did buy those hockey puck mice.