One of the biggest announcements at the iPhone 12 launch event was not the phone itself, but the fact that Apple is bringing back the MagSafe brand. Touted as a safer way to charge a phone wirelessly, it turns out that there are many other ways to utilize the magnetic ring on the back of the phone.

But with all the buzz and hype about the new MagSafe product, we have to admit to ourselves that magnets are not the solution to all problems. Magnets can be very useful when properly utilized. However, some things do not and should not require the use of special magnet rings.

Although the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have only been on the market for a few weeks, various products have already appeared that attempt to utilize MagSafe, such as Moment's camera accessory that connects to the phone without having to be secured in the correct grip. The MagSafe is a very powerful and versatile accessory. The same goes for car mounts and other similar add-ons.

But just because they can be attached with magnets doesn't mean they should. Like Apple's own MagSafe wallet, which holds a credit card and snaps onto the back of the phone. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I don't feel that something that holds all of your money should be something that can be easily removed.

In general, one could argue the pros and cons of keeping credit cards in a cell phone case, but up to this point, these cases are generally quite sturdy and most importantly, they are securely attached to the phone. Removing the wallet portion without removing the entire phone is difficult, to say the least, and while the MagSafe's magnets may stick firmly to the wallet, it still relies on some quirk of physics to keep everything together.

Watch this video from MacRumors and you'll see what I mean. Skip to 2:20 for the relevant section.

While generally safe enough to wield a cell phone, the MacRumors review of the wallet falling out shows a significant drawback of the MagSafe accessory. Magnets are great if you need to temporarily connect two things together or if you really don't want to move them around, but beyond that, they are not secure enough.

Paying $60 for a wallet attachment that could come off at random intervals during the day is bad enough. But if you are carrying something very important, such as a credit card or driver's license, this is a much more serious problem than buying too many leather pouches.

Apple could certainly make the magnetic grip stronger, but that would cause more problems than it would solve. For example, one would have to remove one's wallet to remove a card, or one would not be able to do MagSafe charging with the iPhone 12 attached. Not to mention the fact that Apple has already warned about how existing magnets affect the magnetic strips and RFID chips used in credit cards, key fobs, etc. As the strength of the magnets is increased, these problems will increase accordingly.

Think a little more carefully about which accessories to include MagSafe. Chargers or compatible cases? Absolutely. Accessories that are not designed for extended use? Absolutely. One that has a magnet that could suddenly detach and cause serious problems? Let's pass on that.

Whether it's a wallet, a selfie stick, or something else entirely, a magnet is not a foolproof solution. So let's use a little common sense. Because let's be honest, if the magnet's connection is questionable, it will fall apart at the worst possible moment.