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Belkin Debuts First MFi-Certified Power Bank With Lightning Input

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Belkin today is launching the first power bank with Lightning input to be officially certified under Apple's MFi licensing program, assuring that the product meets Apple's standards for quality and compatibility. Belkin's BOOST?­CHARGE Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector, priced at $59.99, offers 10,000 mAh of charging power and is recharged over a Lightning connector using either a USB-to-Lightning cable or a compatible Lightning dock sold separately.

belkin_lightning_10k_colors.jpg

On the output side, the Power Bank 10K with Lightning includes a pair of USB-A ports, one at 2.4A for faster charging of iPhones and iPads and one at 1A for slower charging. A button-activated set of four LEDs on the top of the Power Bank shows the current charge level, and the button also lets you toggle between charging input and output modes if needed.

belkin_lightning_10k_1.jpg

While power banks most commonly use micro-USB for charging input and a few are shifting over to USB-C, Lightning offers the benefit of needing only a single cable to both charge the battery pack and use the battery pack to charge your phone. If you've got a Lightning dock on your desk, you may also be able to use that to recharge the power bank, although it is significantly thicker than an iPhone so not all docks will be able to accommodate the power bank.

belkin_lightning_10k_dock.jpg
Charging on an Apple Lightning dock​

The Power Bank 10K measures about 6 inches long, around 2.75 inches wide, and a little under 0.75 inches thick, so it's slightly smaller but substantially thicker than a Plus-sized iPhone. It weighs a little over 8 ounces, about 25 percent more than a Plus-sized iPhone.

In my testing, the power bank worked well, efficiently charging an iPhone connected to the 2.4A USB port. It also appeared to be able to maintain rated charging speeds with devices connected to both USB ports simultaneously. Recharging the power bank took three hours or so when connected to an iPad charger.

belkin_lightning_10k_2.jpg

Beyond standard power banks, the launch of the first MFi-certified Lightning battery may also bode well for future similar accessories from other manufacturers, including the possibility of iPhone battery cases with Lightning input, a product family long requested by users.

Belkin's $59.99 BOOST?­CHARGE Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector will be available in black or white and is available for pre-order starting today through Belkin. It should begin shipping around the beginning of August.

For peace of mind, the BOOST?­CHARGE Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector includes Belkin's $2500 Connected Equipment Warranty, offering protection for any equipment damaged by power spikes or surges while properly connected to the power bank.

Note: Belkin provided a sample of the Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector to MacRumors free of charge for the coverage purposes. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Belkin and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.

Article Link: Belkin Debuts First MFi-Certified Power Bank With Lightning Input
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/05/belkin-mfi-lightning-power-bank/
Not an investment I would make in 2018...

USB-C can charge power banks faster, a USB-C to Lightning cable can charge a phone faster, and wireless is starting to take root with the promise of faster charging to come.

I envision a future power bank with a fast Qi charger, but if we’re stuck with Lightning we might as well take advantage of fast charging USB-C tech.
 
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Lightning has been around since the iPhone 5 and they're just now getting around to doing this? Why did they wait so long? I would've considered buying one of these three or four years ago for the sake of only having to carry one type of cable, but there's no way I'd buy one today when Lightning probably has a limited time left.
 
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$59.99 for 10,000 mAh? Wow. Lightning port is cool as my house has these all over in every room.

I just bought a USB C 20,100 mAh for $65. It has USB 3 and C output and USB C input so I can use my MacBook charger to rapidly recharge it and charge my Mac with it.

Yeah, had this come out back in the iPhone 5 days as avanpelt said above, maybe. But $59.99 for 10k mAh is insane. Save your $ and get this instead: https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerC...pID=31tAMZPSQkL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

^ 13,000 mAh for $34.
 
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macintoshmac said:
Would have appreciated a USB-C output. How fast might this lightning connector charge the bank?
Click to expand...

I haven't had a chance to push it with a high-wattage adapter and a USB-C to Lightning cable, but over a 12-watt iPad adapter and a USB-A to Lightning cable it took about three hours to recharge from empty.

FireFish said:
URLs appear to be dead
Click to expand...

Ya, sorry about that. Should be working now...I fixed them right after publishing, but might have taken a few minutes for caches to update.
 
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This doesn’t charge wirelessly? What a waste. So if I want to charge my phone whenever it's in my pocket, I need a mess of cables. No thanks.
 
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Exile714 said:
Not an investment I would make in 2018...

USB-C can charge power banks faster, a USB-C to Lightning cable can charge a phone faster, and wireless is starting to take root with the promise of faster charging to come.

I envision a future power bank with a fast Qi charger, but if we’re stuck with Lightning we might as well take advantage of fast charging USB-C tech.
Click to expand...

The new iPhone is coming with an 18W USB-C to Lightning adaptor. Couldn't that cable be used to charge this, meaning one less cable to carry in a bag?

FelixDerKater said:
Just in time to be immediately obsolete.
Click to expand...

How so?

awer25 said:
Just in time for Apple to kill Lightning in favor of USB-C. Also that is very overpriced for 10K and no USB-C PD output.
Click to expand...

Apple is not killing Lightning in favor of USB-C, lol. And they likely won't until they go fully wireless for charging. Apple is using USB-C to Lightning in upcoming iPhone models. Nobody seems to understand that Apple isn't switching to USB-C in iOS devices because USB-C is nearly twice as thick as Lightning and it's a more fragile connector with the center piece that can snap off. Lightning is solid and thin and can take higher charging rates once it's supported in hardware.

avanpelt said:
Lightning has been around since the iPhone 5 and they're just now getting around to doing this? Why did they wait so long? I would've considered buying one of these three or four years ago for the sake of only having to carry one type of cable, but there's no way I'd buy one today when Lightning probably has a limited time left.
Click to expand...

What makes you think Lightning has limited time left? True wireless charging is still several years away at a minimum. Until then we have the Lightning port.
 
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macduke said:
Apple is not killing Lightning in favor of USB-C, lol. And they likely won't until they go fully wireless for charging. Apple is using USB-C to Lightning in upcoming iPhone models. Nobody seems to understand that Apple isn't switching to USB-C in iOS devices because USB-C is nearly twice as thick as Lightning and it's a more fragile connector with the center piece that can snap off. Lightning is solid and thin and can take higher charging rates once it's supported in hardware.

What makes you think Lightning has limited time left? True wireless charging is still several years away at a minimum. Until then we have the Lightning port.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with macduke here. After having my MacBook Pro 13' 2017 - I'm not a fan of USB C. I don't think Apple is getting rid of lightning ports anytime soon.
 
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siddavis said:
That's funny because at first glance it reminded me of the original iPhone.
Click to expand...

Was going to say the same thing. Reminded me of the iPhone 3gs. Call me old, but that's the phone that made me want an iPhone back when I was using Android. :p I have a feeling that's what Belkin was trying to go for here, an old iPhone look.
 
Kind of cool, considering most power banks require you to carry a micro USB cable, which is annoying.

However, Apple really just needs to ditch Lightning and move to USB-C on the iPhone.
 
I’ve never been a fan of Belkin products. Middling design and they tend to cut corners, e.g. different amps for the ports on this device.

But they nailed one thing this time...lightning charging.

I’ve been waiting for Mophie to do this for years. I don’t mind paying ,ore for,their products necause design is great and safety—it is a battery after all. But I haven’t upgraded for years because the usb mini cable headaches.
 
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