As expected, Apple has officially released its new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The new iPhones feature better battery life than ever before, so do you actually need Apple’s new cases?
With a Smart Battery Case, Apple says that battery life on your iPhone 11 should last up to 50% longer when the case is fully charged. This is a significant boost in battery life, but the Smart Battery Case comes with added weight and bulk compared to a normal iPhone case.
What’s unique about this year’s Smart Battery Cases is a new physical camera shutter button. Here’s how Apple explains the feature:
The case features a dedicated camera button that launches the Camera app whether the iPhone is locked or unlocked. A quick press of the button takes a photo and a longer press captures QuickTake video. It works for selfies, too.
One of the biggest selling points of the new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, however, is the improved battery life. Apple touts that the iPhone 11 Pro adds four hours of battery life compared to the iPhone XS, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max offers 5 additional hours over the iPhone XS Max. The iPhone 11 offers an extra hour compared to the iPhone XR.
Apple’s Smart Battery Case isn’t the first option for iPhone 11 owners. Mophie sells its Juice Pack Access case for the iPhone 11 lineup at $99 (full review), which is slightly cheaper than Apple’s case. The Mophie case is missing features such as deep iOS integration and the physical camera button, though.
With this in mind, do you really need a Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro? Personally, I would still like the added peace of mind while traveling, but most of the time, the added battery life wouldn’t be worth the extra bulk for me.
What about you? Let us know in the poll below and in the comments!
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