Skip to main content

Catalyst is making waterproof, glow-in-the-dark cases for AirPods

Fishing around a cluttered backpack or overstuffed glove compartment for your phone, watch, or tablet is a recipe for frustration — especially if you’re doing it in the dark. Luckily, Catalyst, the folks behind the world’s first waterproof Apple Watch case, have a novel solution: a Glow-in-the-Dark collection.

At Pepcom’s Spring Showcase event in New York City, the China-based company showed off its latest wares. “When we first launched on Kickstarter, we create a limited edition Glow-in-the-Dark case,” Catalyst Co-Founder and Chief Designer Josh Wright said in a statement. “This was a massive hit with customers and we wanted to go back to our roots. This exclusive family of glowing products still features the industry leading waterproof and drop-proof ratings that Catalyst is known for — only now you’ll be able to show them off in the dark.”

Recommended Videos

The Glow-in-the-Dark cases, which will launch for the Apple Watch ($70) and 12.9-inch iPad Pro ($160), provide quick access to the charging port. And they stand up to abuse — they’re made of “soft premium” silicone that’s waterproof, drop-proof, and dust-proof.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Alongside the new cases, Catalyst announced a waterproof case designed for Apple’s wireless AirPod earbuds ($30). This case is IP67 waterproof up to 3.3 feet (1m), drop proof to 4 feet (1.2m), and comes with a carabiner that attaches to a belt loop, bag, or backpack.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

“We are excited to introduce the very first waterproof case for AirPods to market,” June Lai, CEO of Catalyst, said in a press release. “There’s nothing like it on the market. The sleek cover is waterproof, drop proof, and secures your AirPods case with a carabiner for both convenience and protection.”

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, Catalyst debuted a colorful collection of Apple Watch bands. The company’s new Apple Watch Series 2 cases, which are tested waterproof to 330 feet (100 meters) and can withstand impacts up to 2 meters, now come in plum, green, and Glow-in-the-Dark. And new limited-edition 24mm green and red bands are available for the 42mm Apple Watch Series 1 and 42mm Apple Watch Series 2.

“Catalyst has always created great looking products which offer unmatched performance — giving users total confidence to use their devices in any environment,” Wright said. “We created a range of colorways for our new products that we think looks great.”

The new cases are available for purchase on Catalyst’s official website.

Kyle Wiggers
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets…
How I turned my iPad Air into a great work machine for just $90
The iPad Air 2024 in a Zagg Crystal Palace folio case with the Keychron B1 Pro keyboard.

The Apple iPad Air (2024) is a brilliant all-rounder, and I find working on it to be just as convenient and fast as working on my MacBook Air M1. However, I’ve been put off really recommending it as a “laptop alternative” because the Magic Keyboard accessory costs so much. It’s $300 for the 11-inch or $350 for the 12.9-inch version, so surely I could come up with a way to reduce the price but not my productivity?

I set out to do precisely that, and in the process, I turned my iPad Air into a lovely work machine -- all for just $90. Here's how I did it.
Apple's Magic Keyboard is brilliant

Read more
Apple’s first OLED iPad Air will reportedly launch in 2026
Two iPad Air models showing the screens.

The iPad Air is a great device with a thin and lightweight design, powerful capabilities, a long-lasting battery, and support for games, video, and work. However, one shortfall of the Air is that, unlike the iPad Pro, it uses an LCD panel and a screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, which makes it feel sluggish and outdated compared to Apple’s top-tier devices.

That may be set to change in 2026, according to The Elec, which reported that Samsung Display will likely be the main supplier of OLED panels for the iPad Air. This would be welcome news since previous reporting from Apple Insider suggested that OLED displays on the iPad Air weren’t due until 2028, so getting them a couple of  years earlier will be sure to please Apple fans.

Read more
I used an iPad as my main camera, and what happened amazed me
A person holding the iPad Air (2024) and taking a photo.

I’ve spent the last few days using the iPad Air (2024) as my primary camera, and what started out as a bit of a joke became more serious as I went along. How so? Because I compared the results with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The thing is, to my eyes, the iPad sometimes took better photos than the iPhone.

Confusing thoughts and emotions rushed through my head. Was I about to carry an iPad around all the time? Was there something wrong with my iPhone? Had I been mistaken all the times when I have used the iPhone to take a special photo and been pleased with the results? The iPad, a tablet with a single camera, shouldn’t be outperforming the flagship iPhone’s camera at any time. Yet, this was what I began to think was happening.
Where it all started

Read more