Earlier today Apple surprised us with the release of its first ever Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. The case, which runs $99, in line with popular third-party competitors, adds an extra 1,877mAh of battery power to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. Popular YouTuber DetroitBorg has gone hands-on with the accessory and explained all of what we need to know about Apple’s first battery case…
One pro of the design choice Apple made is that it makes the case feel less bulky around the casing. This means that when you’re handling the phone, it doesn’t feel quite as bulky as some third-party cases. This doesn’t change the fact, however, that the case adds a significant amount of weight to the iPhone. In fact, in Apple’s quest to make the iPhone 6 and 6s battery life comparable to the larger Plus models, it has actually made the 6 and 6s heavier than the Plus.
With Apple’s Smart Battery Case installed, the iPhone 6s weighs about 8.6 ounces, whereas the iPhone 6s Plus with Apple’s leather case installed weighs about 7.4 ounces. That’s definitely a notable difference for those that have gotten used to the smaller form factor of the iPhone 6 and 6s.
Another positive, however, of the Smart Battery Cases’s design is that the speaker and microphone are now front facing. This improves the speaker quality of the device as the speakers are now pointed directly at the user as opposed to firing away from them.
As some of the reviews noted this morning, the Smart Battery Case also features a recessed headphone jack. This means that a lot of headphones available on the market aren’t going to be compatible with Apple’s battery case. Apple’s EarPods, of course, are compatible with the case, but any headphones that feature a slightly thicker bumper around the 3.5mm headphone jack are not going to work.
Apple’s Smart Battery Case features a capacity of 1,877mAh, which is enough to take a dead iPhone 6 or 6s to around 80 percent battery. Apple touts that its Smart Battery Case increases the talk time of the iPhone to 25 hours and the Internet use to 18 hours on LTE. Thanks to integration between the software and hardware, you can easily monitor the battery life of your phone and case with the battery widget in the Notification Center on iOS.
Apple’s Smart Battery Case is available now in Charcoal Gray and White for $99. This makes Apple’s offerings competitively priced with similar offerings from Mophie ($99.95), although Mophie’s offering includes 2,700mAh of added power.
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headphones don’t fit now… but wait until they remove the headphone jack from the phone and build an adapter into that case!
It actually seems like it would work really nicely so as an option it would protect, charge, and solve 3.5mm-gate for some people.
Actually that makes a lot of sense. If it’s true (and I guess it is, since I don’t think you are lying here) and it doesn’t fit, they are definitely trying the market, testing the audience in some way. We’ll see. But I am positive that they’ll remove the 3.5 jack very soon (if not in 7, it’s 100% gone in 8).
Looks terrible. Glad I don’t need it.
I really like the look. Admittedly at first I thought the hump looked hideous but it’s true that handling it in horizontal orientation feels better without the bulk on the sides.
I can’t remember the last time Apple released something that someone didn’t complain about the design. In this instance 99.9% of the complaints are from people that haven’t and probably never will use the case. Apple has always been chided for being about form over function. All of a sudden function no longer matters and it’s all about looks. I think the fulcrum hinge on the Surface Book looks terrible. Does that make it a bad product? No.
If you dont care for the looks of the device, there is significantly less reason to by the premium apple prices.
Michael, he said ‘design’, not ‘looks’. Design encompasses looks and function. Apple does both well, but leads by function (many people think the opposite but they’re wrong) – Look for ‘styling’ elements on Apple products and you won’t find them, hence simple rectangles with radius corners, that’s about it!
Ergonomics is another area of design that Apple some controversial views on I think – like they see it as a compromise, see their mice.
Just awful. Hate to beat a dead horse, but hell no would SJ let cr*p like this out of the design studio much less into Apple Store shelves.
You mean the same guy that let the hockey puck mouse out of the design studio? Or the iPod socks (which he announced on stage) or an iPhone that lost signal when held a certain way? And boy that buttonless shuffle and fat nano sure wen over well.
I just have to laugh at all the hate for this battery case considering it’s coming from people that haven’t used it/don’t own it. Most reviews actually gave it a thumbs up in terms of functionality. Joanna Stern at the WSJ said it’s nicer to hold in the hand than any other battery case. But let’s everyone piss all over it because it won’t win any design awards in the aesthetics department.
Yeah. The hokey puck is great design. SJ sometimes favored design over practically, but his eye for cool as sh*t is beyond reproach. The iPhone 6 like this battery pack mess would never ever ever land on store shelves under SJ. He loved design way too much.
Is it just me, or do they look a little like a taller classic Mac from the front?
I think it’s the speaker slot that makes it.
Jeez, the guy with the black iPhone has some catching up to do on his/her emails/SMSs and whatnot…
Thanks for the article, Chance! May I suggest something? Can you and your colleagues convert all the metrics which are different in Europe and USA? I know it’s 1 click-away thing, yet it would be cool if I (and I am sure all the rest of non-US followers here) don’t need to do it almost every time I read 9to5Mac article. Many of us will appreciate that! :) Thanks in advance! P.S. I am really not into the battery cases. I guess only 5% of the users can’t live without their phones (important business to run, etc), the rest who are draining their batteries with games and so on… meh, better get a life and live it. I am using some ~$15 case which is here only to protect the phone, and is as thin as possible. I don’t want to care with me a brick anyway. :) Thanks once again, Chance!
Apple discussion seems down to me, anyone else experience? (At the current of this comment)
I will check it out next time I am in the store, but this seems to be just the battery case I am looking for.
It’s obviously about the antennas… I am surprised nobody realized that.
But, it’s also undoubtly very ugly.
I WANT COLORS!!!
Negative comments about desing… Jeez lets talk something useful like…… Does it work with CarPlay? Because microusb cases doesn’t work . Can someone PLZZZZ let me know ! Haven’t find any info, for 100$ I need to be very sure
Excellent question. I would assume so since it is Lightning passthrough for charging/syncing. But don’t know for sure.
Why no 6/6s Plus version?
I 100% agree with the video. For example mophie cases are so bulky, huge, not good looking, doesn’t hold good in hand.
TO ALL YOU SKEPTICS – GO SEE ONE IN PERSON!
Went to one of my local Apple Stores today to see the case. The first guy said he held it yesterday, but didn’t have any out of the box. Then another guy came over and said they did open up one of each. Told me to go ahead and put my phone in it, try it out.
I have to say, it is almost exactly what I want in a battery case. I had a brand new pair of jeans on, so I didn’t put it in my pocket, but it felt nice in the hand, very comfortable. Was just as easy to reach everything on the screen as it is with my Incipio dual pro. Also, the balance was perfect. It wasn’t heavy at one end like the battery case I had on my iPhone 5/5s. The phone in the case felt good in the hand.
Also seems to offer better protection than many other battery cases.
Very easy to slide your iPhone into it.
A few notes from my discussions with the guys working there, some of which has been said. We were talking for about 5-7 minutes, me and 3 guys that work there.
* The battery in the case is used first. This saves internal phone battery cycles. My thought is this makes sense. Easier to replace the case than the battery in the iPhone, so this is good.
* The dual battery showing up when you first plug the phone in got a geeky reaction from me and one of the guys who wasn’t in yesterday and had not seen it yet. So minor, only worth noting because we were all like “yeah, that is cool” even though we were all aware of hoe geeky it was.
* The sound is improved. Didn’t think it would make much difference, but it does.
All in all, when you see the case on your phone and use it a few minutes, the design makes 100% Apple sense.
I will be picking one up after Christmas. Maybe even a nice Space Grey dock, too.
Bogus.. There are several battery cases out there that have much slicker designs… Why didnt patent issue get in their way ?
Its just a bad design.. pure and simple… 2015 has been riddled with disarray at apple.
Hope they get back to their best in the coming year !!!