How two outdoor adventurers built an accessory that Apple didn’t know it wanted

Hong Kong-based startup Catalyst makes waterproof and drop-proof cases for AirPods, iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches

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Catalyst’s waterproof cases for AirPods. (Picture: Chris Chang/Abacus)

Published: 10:30am, 22 Oct 2019Updated: 5:45pm, 5 Nov 2020

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

June Lai and Josh Wright wished they could take their iPhones with them wherever they went. But the outdoor enthusiasts knew the devices wouldn’t survive the places they regularly visit… like mountains, canyons and beaches.

“We’re using our iPhones for our route guides for rock climbing. They are obviously used for navigation and communication, but we really couldn’t use them in the climbing cracks,” Wright told me in their office in Hong Kong.

The potential hazards ranged from dropping the phone while pulling it out of a backpack in the middle of a climb to getting it soaked under a massive downpour.

By 2010, seeing no viable solutions, the duo decided to take the matter into their own hands. After months of research, Lai and Wright launched a Kickstarter campaign to try to crowdfund their idea. In the process, they discovered hundreds of other people who were also looking for a way to protect their handsets from the elements. Their proposal to build a waterproof iPhone 4 case received almost US$55,000 in backing, and the partners set off to make their dream product a reality.

Josh Wright (left) and June Lai (right) in their office in Hong Kong. (Picture: Chris Chang/Abacus)

Today, Catalyst products are sold in 70 countries around the world, from online outlets like Amazon to physical stores like Best Buy and Target. The line has since expanded to include cases tailored for different gadgets -- iPhones, Samsung phones, iPads, Apple Watches and AirPods. They’re made to withstand a drop from the top of a three-story building or a 6-feet dive into the ocean.