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

MagSafe Battery Pack Tidbits: Thickness, Weight, Charging Details, and More

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,493
37,783


Apple's new MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone 12 has started arriving to customers around the world, and as more people get their hands on the accessory, various tidbits have surfaced about its design and functionality.

magsafe-battery-pack-forum-photo.jpeg
MagSafe Battery Pack photo shared by MacRumors forum member Boardiesboi​

Priced at $99 in the United States, the MagSafe Battery Pack attaches magnetically to the back of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max, providing additional hours of battery life. Designed with hard plastic, Apple says the battery pack is able to wirelessly charge the iPhone at up to 5W on the go, or at up to 15W when the battery pack is connected to a 20W or higher power adapter with a Lightning to USB-C cable.

MacRumors readers have indicated the MagSafe Battery Pack is 11mm thick and weighs around 114 to 115 grams. As noted by Tommy Boi on Twitter, an iPhone 12 mini with the MagSafe Battery Pack attached weighs around 250 grams, which is heavier than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which weighs 228 grams on its own.


Steven Russell from Memphis, Tennessee confirmed the MagSafe Battery Pack cannot be charged with Apple's MagSafe Charger or other Qi-based wireless charging pads. However, when attached to an iPhone 12 that is charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ can deliver power to the battery pack. The reverse wireless charging feature requires a 20W or higher power adapter and you can track both charging statuses on the Lock screen.

Russell also demonstrated that the MagSafe Battery Pack can wirelessly charge AirPods, but as expected, it cannot charge an Apple Watch.


The MagSafe Battery Pack is supported by iPhone 12 models running iOS 14.7, which was released yesterday, but multiple MacRumors readers have indicated that the battery pack is not yet supported by the latest iOS 15 beta.

A basic teardown of the MagSafe Battery Pack surfaced on Chinese social media platform Weibo, as shared by DuanRui on Twitter:


The MagSafe Battery Pack can be ordered on Apple's online store in a white color and currently has a late July delivery estimate in the United States. Apple Store pickup is also available at selection locations starting today.

Article Link: MagSafe Battery Pack Tidbits: Thickness, Weight, Charging Details, and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/07/20/iphone-12-magsafe-battery-pack-tidbits/
This product looks so intriguing but I’m not entirely sure about its form. I’d have to try it out before I committed to purchasing it. Amazing that it can charge the Airpod’s but a let down it can’t charge the watch. It would have been a great option for travelling if it could do both.
 
I find it quite heavy, although I'm glad to be wire-free when outdoors. Also, no need to buy another magsafe charger, it can act as your daily phone charger when its plugged in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: macsplusmacs
I don't know what it is, but this battery pack excites me.

I travel a lot (including some very long journeys... sometimes days) and I've gotten good use out of my omnicharge power bank. But there's something about having to bring cables which I dislike.

I think if I knew I was going to be in the middle of nowhere for 48 hours, I'd bring two of these external batteries with me so I know I can easily get my mini to last those 48 hours. And they're so small and non-awkward (no cables) I can just slip them into a side pocket.

But I feel maybe this is a bit unreasonable, as carrying a cable is simple.

I guess I just like the fact it makes things slightly simpler?
 
  • Like
Reactions: valleian, cjgrif, orbital~debris and 2 others
Quite heavy. Don't think it will be comfortable to use it with Pro Max
 
What a ridiculous looking thing. My high school shop students could not have done worse. Yes, it is not always fair to say that Steve would not have approved this, but in this case he certainly would have rejected it and also humiliated the designers in a meeting. It is a real shame what Apple has become.
 
  • Disagree
  • Like
Reactions: valleian, featherlessbird, decypher44 and 6 others
WilburMercer said:
I don't know what it is, but this battery pack excites me.

I travel a lot (including some very long journeys... sometimes days) and I've gotten good use out of my omnicharge power bank. But there's something about having to bring cables which I dislike.

I think if I knew I was going to be in the middle of nowhere for 48 hours, I'd bring two of these external batteries with me so I know I can easily get my mini to last those 48 hours. And they're so small and non-awkward (no cables) I can just slip them into a side pocket.

But I feel maybe this is a bit unreasonable, as carrying a cable is simple.

I guess I just like the fact it makes things slightly simpler?
Click to expand...
Thats exactly what it does. A bit more convenient, I like it too.

You'd need to bring a cable to be able to charge this, but you can hike or whatever and charge the phone / AirPods without cables.
 
  • Like
Reactions: valleian, WilburMercer, orbital~debris and 1 other person
Why would Apple make this battery pack NOT chargeable via MagSafe? If you’ve shifted to MagSafe for your iPhone, using the battery then requires another 20W charger with Lightning cable, which doesn’t make sense given the pack can clearly accept wireless charging from an iPhone. Arrgghhh!
 
Under iOS 15 beta 3 it will charge the phone and show battery level as "generic UPS". It works like a generic Qi charger. However reverse charging (charging the phone and pack at same time via the phone) doesn't yet work.

So it's not useless. I suspect iOS Beta 4 will fix this next week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: valleian
hellosil said:
Thats exactly what it does. A bit more convenient, I like it too.

You'd need to bring a cable to be able to charge this, but you can hike or whatever and charge the phone / AirPods without cables.
Click to expand...
It is a good alternative to the other charger they have with the Apple Watch charger in it, especially if you don't have an Apple Watch. Because it doubles as a 15W Magsafe wired charger too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hellosil
WilburMercer said:
I don't know what it is, but this battery pack excites me.

I travel a lot (including some very long journeys... sometimes days) and I've gotten good use out of my omnicharge power bank. But there's something about having to bring cables which I dislike.

I think if I knew I was going to be in the middle of nowhere for 48 hours, I'd bring two of these external batteries with me so I know I can easily get my mini to last those 48 hours. And they're so small and non-awkward (no cables) I can just slip them into a side pocket.

But I feel maybe this is a bit unreasonable, as carrying a cable is simple.

I guess I just like the fact it makes things slightly simpler?
Click to expand...
Or you could buy 2 Anker magnetic battery cases for the price of 1 of these, and I believe also has more battery capacity.
 
  • Like
Reactions: decypher44
svish said:
Quite heavy. Don't think it will be comfortable to use it with Pro Max
Click to expand...

I view this as a backup option in case you run low on battery, not something you'd keep on the phone all the time. I'd rather have a slightly uncomfortable phone in a pinch than a dead phone.
 
Did our hands/pockets get bigger in the past 3 years? Another facile attempt at power a device for longer. Make the phone 2mm thicker (to allow for a bigger battery) and it will last at least 50% longer. Problem solved. No need for an 11m deep 'bolt on' battery 50 times more clunky than an Mophie case.
 
  • Like
Reactions: decypher44
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