Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MagSafe Battery Pack Prototype Shows Earlier Design With Glossy Plastic and Rear LED

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,988
40,001


Images of a prototype Apple MagSafe Battery Pack have today been shared online, revealing a look at the iPhone accessory from when it was in internal development.

magsafe-battery-pack-prototype.jpg

The images, which come from Twitter account @ArchiveInternal, show a prototype version of Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack which differs from the final retail version of the Battery Pack in a number of ways. The prototype features a glossy white plastic shell, identifier information printed on the side, a different rear surface material with no embossed MagSafe alignment ring, and an LED on the rear instead of the bottom.

Despite not having an embossed MagSafe alignment ring, the prototype still has a faint circular outline that indicates the presence of MagSafe technology. It is possible that the prototype is simply missing the additional rubbery layer present on the final MagSafe Battery Pack.



The placement of the LED charging indicator on the back of the Battery Pack is curious since it would be obscured by the iPhone it is attached to, which may have led to the decision to move it to the right of the Lightning port on the bottom.

Apple has been known to put LED charging indicators in particular places in the past, such as on the first-generation AirPods, which featured a LED indicator inside the charging case, where it could not be seen when the case was closed. Apple changed this with the second iteration of the device, when it moved the LED to the front exterior of the AirPods charging case.

magsafe-battery-pack-3.jpg

Apple was rumored to launch a magnetic external battery for some time before finally launching the MagSafe Battery Pack in July 2021. The company's work on the accessory became apparent in mid-February 2021 after the launch of the second iOS 14.5 beta, where MacRumors discovered a mention of a mysterious "battery pack" in the code. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman later confirmed that Apple was indeed working on a MagSafe Battery Pack designed for the iPhone 12, while other rumors alleged that the accessory would have reverse wireless charging.

The MagSafe Battery Pack was reportedly hindered by development problems and software issues prior to its release, and the accessory has had a mixed reaction from customers since its launch.

Images and videos of Apple prototype devices are frequently shared online by collectors, with recent findings including transparent AirPods, an Apple Watch Series 3 with additional connectors, and even a working AirPower prototype.

Article Link: MagSafe Battery Pack Prototype Shows Earlier Design With Glossy Plastic and Rear LED
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/01/05/magsafe-battery-pack-prototype-shows-earlier-design-with-glossy-plastic-and-rear-led/
MacRumors said:
a prototype version of Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack which differs from the final retail version of the Battery Pack in a number of ways. The prototype features a glossy white plastic shell
Click to expand...
How many iPhones slipped out of hands and got dropped due to slippery glossy shell before they put a silicone coating on it? ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: johnmarki
Drop the price to $50 and these would sell better. At near $100 USD, there are better options available from 3rd party that do the same utilitarian thing of charging your phone without a cable using MagSafe for much cheaper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NightFlight
It has an LED? I'm shocked!


They seem to have religiously avoided using LED's in so many of their products. (How many would love a bi-state LED in the Apple TV remote? Is it charging? Is it charged? Is it even working? Hmm)
 
  • Like
Reactions: NMBob
If I'm honest, I regret buying the Apple MagSafe battery pack. I have the 12 Pro and it gets me like half a charge. I think Anker makes one that charges more and looks better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NightFlight and bsbeamer
PinkyMacGodess said:
It has an LED? I'm shocked!


They seem to have religiously avoided using LED's in so many of their products. (How many would love a bi-state LED in the Apple TV remote? Is it charging? Is it charged? Is it even working? Hmm)
Click to expand...
Apple TV remotes have batteries that last roughly a full year (for me at least). I don’t think having a dedicated charge light is necessary personally.
 
ANDJOE said:
Apple TV remotes have batteries that last roughly a full year (for me at least). I don’t think having a dedicated charge light is necessary personally.
Click to expand...

I don't use them much, having a Logitech Harmony, and it seemed like I was always getting a dead one and trying to get it to work. Not a huge deal, but just having one on it *would* be nice.
 
blairh said:
I really like mine. However it works best if used at the start of the day versus needing more juice later in the day.
Click to expand...
So true!
BabyBoii said:
If I'm honest, I regret buying the Apple MagSafe battery pack. I have the 12 Pro and it gets me like half a charge. I think Anker makes one that charges more and looks better.
Click to expand...
Don’t regret! Use it at the start of the day!
 
  • Like
Reactions: sahni130
This makes me wonder if Apple could put a slim battery, similar to the one thats in the phone, in a slim line case, and stick a magnet on it. Think of it like a double or triple thickness credit card. I see all of these extra-charge batteries from Apple, and 3rd parties like an arms race; pack as much battery in an ugly shell that disturbs the ergonomics of the device, and slap a price on it. The case versions of these batteries aren't terrible, but for a company that prides itself on design, the current version for sale, and the prototype, of the magsafe battery pack isn't IT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: webbuzz and TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
Well I hope it works better than a previous generation a white Apple iPhone XS battery case in soft rubber. That sucker never worked, messed with the iPhone's battery health. Even a re-call replacement didn't work and continued to mess with the phone's internal battery health.

It is part of the reason I went with the 13 Pro Max, with built-in larger battery, so I would not have to mess with MagSafe style external chargers.

From what I've read Apple's current MagSafe external charger doesn't work well. Hopefully there is a third party one that works better. Thought wouldn't Apple have the leg up on this???
 
sahni130 said:
Yeah, I agree as well. It seems more like a tool to keep your charged iPhone battery from going down quickly, rather than charging the iPhone battery when already depleted- if that makes any sense. Comes in handy when traveling or longer days.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Never use it when iPhone is at 20% charge. The other day my phone was 19% and I attached the MagSafe battery and kept using the phone. It was going above 20% and again down to 19%. The 20% battery notifications that kept popping up was so annoying.
 
Would rather just use an external power brick and a cable. Wireless charging is too inefficient for it to make sense to use it to charge from a limited capacity battery.
 
sw1tcher said:
How many iPhones slipped out of hands and got dropped due to slippery glossy shell before they put a silicone coating on it? ?
Click to expand...
My biggest complaint about Apple products these days - friggin slippery AirPods Pros, slippery AirPods Pro cases, slippery phones...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back