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Hands-On With Apple's New Smart Battery Cases
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In a community that has a voracious appetite for batteries - players of Ingress and Pokemon Go - pretty much everyone carries an external battery, because, as you say, they all require the additional battery life. But very few are using battery cases, it's almost always an external battery and a cable. Something the size of the 2x 18650 battery packs (roughly the size, but not the weight, of a couple rolls of dimes side-by-side, e.g. Anker's PowerCore II 6700 and similar ones from other manufacturers) carries a ton of extra usage time, in not hugely more volume than Apple's battery case, and costs closer to $20. And has the advantage of not needing to be connected when you're not actively using it. And if you need substantially more power, there are larger sizes available (where likely no one would carry multiple of Apple's battery case to swap out when needed).
I don't doubt that Apple's battery cases are well executed, and offer features that other batteries can't match (since iOS is aware of them), but the combination of costing on the order of 5 times as much, *and* making the phone more awkward 100% of the time, rather than the 20% of the time I need the boost, makes it less attractive.
That's the thing. Most people forget that a smart phone is just a tool to do a job. It's not a fashion accessory & never will be.
I'm guessing that water has an infinitely high IP rating, as water will not damage water.
Would using this battery case over a long time period reduce the life (health) of the internal battery?
According to others it is using two batteries in series which doubles the voltage and since USB chargers are not of this higher voltage, it is the reason why I'm asking.
According to others it is using two batteries in series which doubles the voltage and since USB chargers are not of this higher voltage, it is the reason why I'm asking.
Must admit picked mine up yesterday and came with 0% charged so guessing that is more a handling thing......
First impressions, adds quite a bit of size to the phone but it is in proportion to the overall size of the phone.
When on calls it sits very comfortably in the hand but I can see that after a while the size and weight may make it a bit uncomfortable
Performance is excellent so far but will see today, for someone who is on it from 5:30 am until pretty much 10pm using video, music, mail and calls, I always found I needed to charge to move away from battery anxiety by about 5pm, hopefully this will allow me to get at least a full day of use without having to worry about a charger
First impressions, adds quite a bit of size to the phone but it is in proportion to the overall size of the phone.
When on calls it sits very comfortably in the hand but I can see that after a while the size and weight may make it a bit uncomfortable
Performance is excellent so far but will see today, for someone who is on it from 5:30 am until pretty much 10pm using video, music, mail and calls, I always found I needed to charge to move away from battery anxiety by about 5pm, hopefully this will allow me to get at least a full day of use without having to worry about a charger
It would be very easy for Apple to flatten this battery and have it go all the way to the top making the case slim but noooo that’s too much work for a company that flaunts aesthetics.
Its actually to do with the antenna placement and ensuring good signal, if you were to place a battery near the top it would impact the antenna performance
The point is to keep the top flexible so you can easily put the case on or take it off.
When Apple doesn’t do something “easy”, it often helps to ask “why” instead of “why not”.
Why would it? How have other manufactures done it with no problems that antenna lines that wrap around the sides would still work just fine.
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Who takes their case off more than once a month if that. I haven’t used a case in years so I don’t know. Their normal cases are super flexible.
Actually, others have reported that their battery case was also fully depleted when they first purchased it. So it wasn’t just your battery case, it must come that way direct from the factory for some of them.
If you like using and carrying your iPhone tethered [to the power bank], for sure.
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Do they [work with no problems]? Has anybody actually compared 'antenna performance' with these cases?
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Well, USB Power Delivery (PD), which is used for fast charging, does use higher voltage already. Moreover, doubling the voltage could only happen if a plugged in power supply would charge the phone in parallel with the battery case which would assume a scenario where you connect the combo for charging while the case still has any charge left. Since in normal use, the case gets discharged first, this would only happen if you re-charge the phone after a usage that wasn't long enough to deplete the case battery (which could certainly happen but would be less common).
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And this battery case needs to be connected when you are not actively using it?
Sure, but during these 20%, you are tethered via a cable to something. That's more annoying than a bulkier device. And it wouldn't be 100% of the time anyway if you don't want it. It would be more like 35% of the time (ie, the time during which the case is powering the device, once the case battery is discharged, you can remove the case again if you want to).
With a battery case, I imagine a typical use case might be to use it with your iPhone at the start of the day (where it keeps your phone constantly topped off at 100%). Then when the case runs out of juice, you can then remove the case and continue using just the phone. Then place the case back on when charging for the night.
I mean, that’s how I would use it were I to have one.
As for using it over a power bank, I am a guy, so when I go out, it will be in pants / jeans and shirt, and I don’t carry a bag around with me. So it’s easier to have a battery case which I can just slip into my pants pocket (together with my phone) than to cart around a power bank and lightning cable.
I think that at the end of the day, it’s worth recognising that the Apple battery case is just one of many options, and that there are perfectly legitimate use cases for it.
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Yeah, I get it. You think anybody using any kind of charging case on any kind of phone is an idiot. I'd guess feeling smart has a higher priority for you than not insulting the significant group of people that buy charging cases.
Wil be passing on this. I have opportunities to charge my handset pretty much everywhere I go. I've never been caught with my battery super low or out of juice completely in the past, so the cost doesn't justify the feature for me. Above all else, I don't want the extra bulk added to the handset either.
Although I do understand how it could be useful for those on long trips etc. But I think the number of users who go over even 12-16 hours without access to any charging facilities whatsoever is rather low.....
Although I do understand how it could be useful for those on long trips etc. But I think the number of users who go over even 12-16 hours without access to any charging facilities whatsoever is rather low.....
Everyone complaining about the price, just wait till the new airpods come out haha.
Im guessing $250
Im guessing $250
I’m definitely going to get this in the near future. The battery life in the iPhone XR is great, but sometimes I forget to charge it at night.
I always thought these cases were ugly, but having looked at them again I am beginning to see why apple did what they did. I'm ok with that. For me this is a useless accessory. For my wife or in-laws it might be worth it. I find my 8plus always has plenty of charge. (yes I know I can't get one for my phone.)
You may want to head to the store and handle one yourself. The previous versions of the cases handled very well IMO, with the bump adding grip vs making the phone bulky. And this was when Apple had to extend the bottom too, so I imagine that these, with their low-profile lightning connectors, will actually be really nice in the hand.
I'll know on Monday when mine is available for pickup.
iPhone XV: Redefining paper thin!*
* Battery not included. Requires add’l purchase of Smart Battery case to use most features. USB-C cable not included.
* Battery not included. Requires add’l purchase of Smart Battery case to use most features. USB-C cable not included.
My son’s iPhone 7 smart case has a big piece missing from the top right edge, and several areas of delamination and peeling layers after six months of use. It’s his second smart case with the same damage in about the same period of time. He slides his phone upwards from the case when he plugs the case in to charge in the car, as the Bluetooth audio won’t work when the case is plugged in to charge with the phone connected. He’s obviously hard on the case, but the silicone material is not very durable in his hands. He waited too long to replace the first case, which cost him a screen repair when he dropped his phone, and the missing edge protection of the smart case exposed his phone to damage.
For those of us that have a logical need to use this (at a client site or other location where I am not in a place to "park"), an external battery pack is a must have. I love my power packs but not having to keep them in my briefcase (and carry them around a client location) and just have it on my hip is great. This is targeting a specific user of which I fit the mold.
Aesthetically, sure this case is what it is but then again my phone is in my pants so it could be chartreuse for all I care personally.
The price point is right around the competition based on my views (Morphie is 110 I think, so the 19USD apple tax applies?).
Aesthetically, sure this case is what it is but then again my phone is in my pants so it could be chartreuse for all I care personally.
The price point is right around the competition based on my views (Morphie is 110 I think, so the 19USD apple tax applies?).
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So is there currently a definitive answer as to whether or not this works with the X? I know it doesn't fully fit the camera housing fully, but I saw it does/doesnt work due to software?
hi everybody,
i have the xs max smart battery case for a few hours now. mine also came with 0% charge, so this seems to be a common thing. although the complete package is definitely heavy i think it sits more comfortably in the hand.
most important and maybe under appreciated observation: a wired carplay connection works through the battery case. i didn’t expect less than that, but this seems to be an important differentiator for the apple cases, at least to my eyes.
best regards
i have the xs max smart battery case for a few hours now. mine also came with 0% charge, so this seems to be a common thing. although the complete package is definitely heavy i think it sits more comfortably in the hand.
most important and maybe under appreciated observation: a wired carplay connection works through the battery case. i didn’t expect less than that, but this seems to be an important differentiator for the apple cases, at least to my eyes.
best regards