There's more to smartphones than just playing CandyCrush and buying a new case to prevent it from scratches and cracks.
We all know someone obsessed with their smartphone, and so the best Christmas gift is really one that involves using their handset one way or another (apart from buying them a brand new one, of course!)
Here's a list of fun gadgets and essential accessories that will enhance the smartphone experience, along with some nifty smart home products that you can't use without a smartphone.
Klipsch R6i II in-ear headphones
You listen to music on it, you watch videos on it, you play games on it, and listen to podcasts on it. Your smartphone is the one-hit-wonder for all things audio, so everyone deserves a great pair of headphones to get the most out of their favourite podcasts, tunes and immersive games.
These £90 Klipsch in-ears sound fantastic and offer a great fit. It's an instant step up in quality from the bundled earbuds you get with all smartphones, and your loved one (or yourself, if you're making a wish list) will be forever grateful.
Power Up 3.0 smartphone-controlled paper airplane kit
Loved making paper airplanes as a kid but was terrible at getting it to soar? This stocking filler is a great 21st century invention to a decades-old entertainment that will keep your kids occupied for at least a few hours come Christmas morning.
Mixing old school paper charm with new tech, this plane is controlled via Bluetooth, has a range of 180 feet, and you can even steer it using the phone app.
Anker PowerCore II Slim 10000
They say there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. But your smartphone running out of battery is surely a third addition to that list.
Keeping a portable battery charger at hand is a must, so make someone's day by giving the smartphone addict in your life this very useful – and stylish, slim and compact – option that will charge any flagship smartphone over three times over.
Netflix gift cards
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like free Netflix, with its vast library of old and new content keeping the most avid TV/film fan happy for hours on end.
You can download plenty of shows on the smartphone app to keep you occupied on those long-haul flights or no-signal commutes on the Underground, too.
Three shows we'd recommend: The Good Place, Over The Garden Wall, and Daredevil.
AKG Y500 Wireless headphones
Want to level up from the Klipsch in-ears? How about these snazzy Bluetooth on-ears that axe the wires, sound clear and refined while offering a degree of noise-isolation, and look very fetching in four shimmery colours?
Compatible with all Bluetooth-toting smartphones, these AKG cans are easy to use, fold away and carry with you at all times.
HP Sprocket portable photo printer
Of course you know someone in your life who is constantly taking photos of everything - food, holidays, road signs, selfies - using their smartphone. To give their memories a more permanent touch, they'll love this compact printer that prints out small, retro-tastic Polaroids of their favourite snaps.
The HP printer is tiny so you can even carry it around with you, is easy to fill it with new photo sheets, and you can control everything via an app.
NanoLeaf smart lights
We love these light panels that you can set with a static colour theme or change colours along with your music. The starter pack includes 9 panels and you can arrange them in any design you like (we like the minimalist Christmas tree in the photo above), and you can customise the colours, patterns and rhythms using the app. There are plenty of presets but you can create your own and save them, too.
You can control the lights by voice, too - it works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home's Siri.
Game of Phones card game
No, this isn't a TV-show-themed app; someone just got carried away with puns.
It's a Cards Against Humanity-style game that challenges you to hunt for specific things using just your phone and your best social media/internet skills. With 100 cards and 60 seconds to complete the task (things like "Find the best photobomb"), it's a clever twist on the card game resulting in plenty of laughs - ideal for after-dinner festivities.
Ember Ceramic Mug
A smart mug. Yep, a smart mug is a thing that now exists. It sounds daft, but think about it: how many times have you made a cup of tea, forgotten about it as you left it to cool down, and then when you reach for it it's far too lukewarm to be a satisfactory tea?
Exactly.
This Ember smart mug (made of ceramic and in black or white colours) aims to combat this horrible dilemma in our life by allowing you to set the exact ideal temperature you want your hot beverage at. It's controlled via the Ember app, obviously, and we rather love the idea of it and are putting it on our Christmas lists right now.
