Selfie Stick

A selfie stick is an extendable handheld pole designed to hold a smartphone or camera at a distance from the user for self-portrait photography. Constructed from telescoping aluminum or plastic, it connects to a device via Bluetooth, a wired jack, or a universal clamp. It became a global consumer phenomenon between 2013 and 2015 and remains in widespread use among tourists and content creators today.

A selfie stick is a telescoping pole ranging from 7 inches collapsed to 40 inches fully extended. The shaft is constructed from aluminum alloy or hard plastic in sections that slide and lock into each other. Most models weigh between 100 and 250 grams.

At the top end sits a universal phone clamp — a spring-loaded or screw-tightened grip typically 2 to 3.5 inches wide, expandable to hold smartphones from 2.5 to 3.5 inches in width. Some models feature a ball joint below the clamp allowing the phone angle to be adjusted independently of the pole. A small mirror sticker is sometimes attached to the front camera lens area to assist framing.

The handle at the base varies by model. Wired models feature a 3.5mm audio jack cable coiled inside the handle that plugs directly into the phone headphone socket. Bluetooth models have a small built-in remote shutter button on the handle, sometimes with a dedicated power button and LED indicator. Combination models include both.

Common finishes include brushed silver, matte black, and rose gold anodized aluminum. Budget models use painted plastic with visible seams. A wrist strap loop is present on the base of most handles. Branding is minimal — many are sold unbranded or under generic retailer labels.

A selfie stick extends the reach of a smartphone camera beyond arm’s length, allowing the user to include more background in self-portrait shots or capture angles impossible from a standard arm hold. At full extension it functions as a lightweight monopod for video recording, reducing camera shake during walking shots.

Bluetooth-enabled models allow the user to trigger the phone shutter remotely from the handle button without requiring a timer or assistant. Some models extend further into full tripod territory with foldout legs at the base.

1. The telescoping sections are extended and locked at the desired length by twisting or sliding the collar at each joint.
2. The phone is placed in the clamp at the top and secured by the spring tension or screw mechanism.
3. On wired models, the 3.5mm cable is plugged into the phone headphone jack. The volume button on the cable triggers the camera shutter through the phone’s native camera app.
4. On Bluetooth models, the handle button pairs with the phone via Bluetooth. Pressing the shutter button sends a wireless signal to trigger the camera remotely.
5. The user frames the shot on the phone screen, holds the stick at the desired angle, and triggers the shutter.

The concept of an extendable camera mount for self-photography predates the smartphone era significantly. Hiroshi Ueda, a Japanese engineer, patented an early version of the device in 1983 after being unable to find someone to photograph him and his wife during a European trip. The patent expired without commercial success — camera technology of the era made the device impractical for most consumers.

Canadian inventor Wayne Fromm filed a patent for a similar device called the Quik Pod in 2005, designed for compact digital cameras. The modern selfie stick as a mass market smartphone accessory emerged from Chinese consumer electronics manufacturers around 2012—2013, timed precisely to the rise of front-facing smartphone cameras and social media sharing culture.

The product entered mainstream western retail in 2014 and exploded globally in 2015. Time magazine named it one of the 25 best inventions of 2014. Museums, galleries, sporting venues, and concert halls began banning selfie sticks in 2015 citing safety and obstruction concerns — a pattern that closely mirrored the fidget spinner school ban cycle two years later.

Sales peaked around 2015—2016 and settled into steady ongoing demand driven by tourism and content creation markets. The addition of tripod legs to many models after 2018 extended the product’s utility beyond self-portraits into vlogging and video production.

• Tourist souvenir shops and street vendors globally
• Electronics retailers and phone accessory stores
• Thrift stores and charity shops — donated in quantity after the initial craze
• Online via Amazon and eBay in bulk at minimal prices
• Junk drawers and travel bags in most households active on social media after 2014

Monopod: A single-leg camera support used by photographers and videographers for stabilizing DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Heavier, longer, and built to a higher specification than a selfie stick. Lacks a phone clamp and shutter remote. Distinguished by a standard camera screw mount at the top rather than a phone grip.

Telescoping pointer or antenna: Shares the collapsible pole form factor but lacks any phone mounting hardware at the tip. Significantly lighter than a selfie stick with no clamp, joint, or handle button.

Selfie stick tripod combo: A newer variant that folds out into a three-legged stand at the base. May be mistaken for a standard tripod when legs are deployed but is immediately identified by the phone clamp at the top rather than a camera screw mount.

Selfie sticks carry minimal resale value. The market was flooded with low-cost units from the outset and supply vastly exceeds any collector or secondhand demand.

• Common wired or basic Bluetooth models: $1—$10 secondhand
• New budget models from online retailers: $5—$15
• Premium models with tripod legs, ball joints, and extended Bluetooth range: $25—$60 new
• Professional content creator rigs with integrated lighting: $50—$150

No meaningful collector market exists for selfie sticks. Value is entirely functional — a working Bluetooth model with a secure clamp is worth more than a broken or wired-only example regardless of brand.

The selfie stick remains in active production and use. Its primary evolution has been the integration of tripod legs, transforming it from a single-use selfie tool into a multipurpose content creation support. Gimbal stabilizers — motorized three-axis camera mounts — serve the higher end of the same market for video creators requiring smooth motion footage. For casual use the selfie stick has no cheaper or simpler equivalent and continues to sell steadily in tourist markets globally.

Looking for one? Where to buy a Selfie Stick →

• Telescoping pole 7 inches collapsed to 40 inches extended
• Aluminum alloy or hard plastic construction in multiple locking sections
• Universal phone clamp at the top end, spring-loaded or screw-tightened
• 3.5mm audio cable on wired models or Bluetooth shutter button on handle
• Wrist strap loop at the base of the handle
• Weight between 100 and 250 grams
• Ball joint below clamp on adjustable models
• Foldout tripod legs on combination models