iCups was originally released as a comical low-cost alternative to the iPhone 6.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/16047/20140920/meet-the-icups-the-iphone-6s-most-ironic-competition-yet.htm |title=Meet the iCups, the iPhone 6's most ironic competition yet |last=Schneider |first=Steven |date=September 20, 2014 |work=Tech Times |access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Originally, iCups had been part of an iPhone parody animation, but Metshin then decided to make iCups an actual product via a Kickstarter fundraiser.<ref name="NY Daily">{{cite news |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/afford-new-iphone-icups-luxury-article-1.1984972 |title=Can’t afford a new iPhone? There is always iCups Luxury |last=Taylor |first=Victoria |date=October 23, 2014 |work=New York Daily News |access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> It has been distributed at retail stores such as Spencer's Gifts.<ref name="SF weekly"/> | iCups was originally released as a comical low-cost alternative to the iPhone 6.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/16047/20140920/meet-the-icups-the-iphone-6s-most-ironic-competition-yet.htm |title=Meet the iCups, the iPhone 6's most ironic competition yet |last=Schneider |first=Steven |date=September 20, 2014 |work=Tech Times |access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Originally, iCups had been part of an iPhone parody animation, but Metshin then decided to make iCups an actual product via a Kickstarter fundraiser.<ref name="NY Daily">{{cite news |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/afford-new-iphone-icups-luxury-article-1.1984972 |title=Can’t afford a new iPhone? There is always iCups Luxury |last=Taylor |first=Victoria |date=October 23, 2014 |work=New York Daily News |access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> It has been distributed at retail stores such as Spencer's Gifts.<ref name="SF weekly"/> |