I’m not a big case user, but I do use a battery case, especially when I’m on the road. The need for battery far outweighs any other consideration when I’m away from home and Apple’s new Smart Battery Case fits that requirement.
Before I get into talking about the case itself, I want to address some of the negative comments I’ve read about the case. Specifically, the case isn’t designed in an Apple kind of way.
I think that’s crap. By definition a battery case is a functional device that you need to fulfill a specific task. Apple made a functional case. Yes, it has a hump, or bump, or protrusion on the back, but so what? If I’m running out of juice and this will give me 25 hours of extra battery, I’m using it. I actually think it looks pretty nice on my phone.
Apple could have designed a sleek case that gave us two hours of extra battery, but then people would be complaining that it’s pretty, but not functional. The company is in a no-win situation, so I’m glad they went with functionality.
One other thing: Apple making a battery case is not an admission that the iPhone battery isn’t sufficient, it’s recognizing that some of its users are buying battery cases. That’s it. Personally, I never run out of battery when I’m not traveling.
Back to the case.
Putting the iPhone in the case is really easy—just bend the top of the case and the phone slides right in and connects to the Lightning port on the bottom. The case also feels good in your hands—it has a rubbery feel, so you can grip it easily without worrying about it slipping out.
When you lay the case flat on a table, you can touch the screen and interact with the phone without having it rock both a forth. I do this often when I’m at a coffee shop or restaurant. I’ve used some cases that were a bit rounded and it caused some problems. I usually have the iPhone in my hands, but it’s nice to know that I can use it like that when needed.
The Smart Battery Case gives you 25 hours of talk time, up to 20 hours of HD video playback and up to 18 hours of web browsing over LTE. I can’t think of a time when I would need more than that. Most times, I would need far less.
I really like the fact that Apple provides a battery level meter on the notification screen that shows you levels for the phone and the case in one view. I’ve found that really handy.
Like most people, I’ve used charging cases that, when plugged in, charge the phone first and then charge the case. It takes quite a while. When you plug Apple’s new case into a computer, or 10W or 12W charger, the phone and case charge simultaneously. That is Brilliant.
It’s not just charging that Apple has improved—it’s also minimizing the effect on cellular performance. Apple has integrated a passive coupled antenna into the case to minimize the negative impact on cellular performance.
People that listen to music or use the speakers for anything else while using a battery case, will appreciate the acoustic port on the base of the case. It channels audio from the speaker so you still get quality volume with the case on. I probably won’t use that feature much, but again, it’s nice to know it’s there if I need it.
If you use Apple headphones, there you won’t need an extender for the headphone port in the case. My Apple headphones just plugged right in. Some third-party headphones with an L-shaped plug won’t work without an extender while using the case though.
These may sound like small items, but these are the types of details that I’ve come to expect from Apple when they make a new product, or in this case, improve an existing category.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one of these cases for a gift or one of my own devices. At $99 I think it’s a bargain.
Jim, you’re spot on with your review. I LIKE the case, and it’s very “Apply.” If you want to reference low marks in Apple design, you can start with the Half-Snowball iMac or the Toilet Seat iBooks in neon orange.
There’s so much ill-informed opinion in the tech media, comprised of people who probably drive Pontiac Azteks for their “cool design.”
Just to be picky and because everyone keeps saying it … the “hump” is NOT a result of Apple putting “function over form,” and whether it’s “pretty” or “ugly” has nothing to do with either one.
People always interpret form/function as being about whether it “looks good,” or “works well,” or both. It’s not. The “form” in form vs. function arguments is about the shape of the thing, not whether it’s “pretty.” As in … “Does the form, match the function?”
If Apple in fact did what Mophie did, and streamlined the case from top to bottom, it would be exactly what people constantly (and erroneously) criticise Apple for doing which is “putting form over function.” Because they would be forcing the case (the form), to look a certain way, that has no relation to it’s actual function.
It’s that kind of fakery and bullshit artistry that is generally taken as “bad design.” Whether you like the look of this thing or not, it’s actually better design than anything Mophie has done.
Amen Jim. 99.9% of the people complaining about this case have never seen it in person and certainly never used it. All I can say to them is STFU until you’ve actually used it.
Sorry, Jim. But your defence is predicted on the premise that Apple could not have designed something that was functional and sleek, without providing any evidence. Since you are using it, can you tell us how often you check the LED indicator? Oh, never? Because it is INSIDE? What functionality does that serve? Apple screwed the pooch on this. Let’s call it what it is.
The Apple community is always very hard on design, both hardware and software. This site is not more lenient than any other. But when something ugly comes out of Apple, it’s “So what?”
The LED is needed when charging the case without the iPhone attached. When it’s on the iPhone, the battery life is displayed on the iPhone lock screen and Notification Center.
You screwed the pooch on your post. Thanks for playing.
Apple has had some design failures (see above post), but the smart battery case isn’t one of them. I bought one and it’s great. Finally, don’t underestimate the number of Samsung trolls (and the Sammy money funnel to the media) leading the negative spin.
It’s possible that “the hump” harkens back to the look of early cell phones from Motorola when they were very thick devices and the batteries were gigantic Quasimodo-style attachments. I don’t hate the look of the case but it isn’t as elegant a solution as we’re used to from Apple. I don’t understand why Apple is incapable of making a another option for people who DO seem to be constantly on their phone and can’t possibly get through an entire day with a non-Plus version of the iPhone 6. Some just don’t want the enormous screen of the 6S Plus but wouldn’t mind an extra millimeter or two of thickness on the regular 6S. Call it the 6S-E (for Extended), make a couple million of them and make everybody happy. Three or four iPhone models wouldn’t kill Apple. It’s still nowhere near the confusing mess of a zillion phone options that Samsung barfs on the public every year.
This. All of it.
Hey, Merckel, leave us Aztek folks off your rant, OK? Are you alright with being an Apple fan with Apple+Aztek folks so close to you? Drop the snobbery, big guy.
oh look – another troll who’s never used the thing he hates. cute.
go back to your android forums.
that’s a terrible idea. sorry, but leave the product design of the single best selling consumer electronics good in the history of the planet to the pros.
From your criticism, I guess you have never used it?
I actually liked the orange. Each to his or her own, eh?
There isn’t a single Samsung fan in my office of 10 people. But all 10 of them visibly blanched when they saw a picture of this case. One asked if it was an April Fool’s joke.
A slightly thicker phone containing extra battery is a terrible idea? “Thin” is the ultimate goal, pursued forever? Great designers can become too fixated on a single idea. A couple of years ago it was “reach everywhere on the screen with your thumb.” And so they scoffed at larger screens. They belatedly admitted that their concentration on small screens was holding back sales and produced the 6 and 6plus. And sales increased dramatically.
Talent =/= infallibility.
If you would like to read more about the fallacy you just committed, you might wish to visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority
The case is designed the way it is so as to a) provide significant battery life AND b) not to interfere with the cellular reception the way some full length batteries do.
If you need both of those things then do you want pretty? Or do you want it to do the job? The reason this thing and things like it exists are to do one thing – provide battery, ideally without compromising basic things like reception.
Want a lot of battery life in a pretty package? Buy the Plus. There are rarely battery life issues with it. Want a lot more battery, not a Plus? Carry one of the battery bricks that you recharge from (if you’re not near power). Or, you know, put chargers where you routinely go if you don’t.
It’s possible that an extra millimeter or two wouldn’t provide significant battery. The idea isn’t to get a couple more hours, but a full on day.
If you could somehow graph where a user’s fingers
most often touch the body of an iPhone during use, I’ll bet the middle
third or so of the back would come in last. The hand naturally cups over
this area. By putting the battery there, I think the designers
effectively hid it in plain sight.
It’s categorically untrue that form is only about whether it fits function. Ask any designer and engineer worth their salt.
First of all, this is a battery case. You are pretty dumb if you have to use it to assess its design. You are also a hypocrite because you, of all people, opine on all topics that you are unfamiliar with. If anyone should STFU, it’s you. But you already know that.
That’s good for the customers, but that’s a horrible business decision if you ask me. All you would have to do is just get borrow a bunch of 360 games and download the game and then return the games.
yes, releasing a special edition of the iphone with a longer battery is a terrible reason. which is what he suggested — not changing the design of the new iphone to offer more battery. no, releasing a “couple million” copies of a battery-edition would be a shitshow.
nope, didnt commit that fallacy. i didnt say it was a terrible idea because apple is the designer of the single-best-selling CE good in the history of our species. i said it was a terrible idea, period.
I would suggest, then, that they’re probably not the people this case is designed for.
I mean, seriously, have you seen some of the ruggedized cases out there for phones and general equipment that needs to go to unexpected places? If you need the case, that design is nothing.
Jim, come on… “Apple making a battery case is not an admission that the iPhone battery isn’t sufficient, it’s recognizing that some of its users are buying battery cases. That’s it. Personally, I never run out of battery when I’m not traveling.” And, why do people buy battery cases? Because of how they look? Because they want bigger/heavier phones? Yeah, I only use a case “when I’m travelling”, too, because when I’m not travelling, I have a charger in my house… and in my car… and in my office. And I have to use all 3 every day, or my phone wouldn’t make it to dinner time–especially after iOS9 came out, which was supposed to have better battery management. (I have a 1-year-old iPhone 6, in case you’re wondering.) So if it’s not an admission of insufficient battery, but just the fact that “some people buy them”, why don’t they make screen protectors? Or car mounts? Or, hell, selfie sticks? “Some people” buy those, too, right?