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.
