First look: Apple's lightweight 3.6oz Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 83
    berenz said:
    I think I was just a little bit sick in my mouth. Apart from adding bulk and looking far from Apple's usual high-standards, it's surely an admission that the battery on the 6 and 6S are still woefully inadequate. I'd sacrifice having a thinner iPhone for 50% increase in battery - and even that wouldn't last me a full day at least a couple of times per week
    Lol do you even own a 6 or a 6s? I charge my 6s ever 2 days I can typically get through a full day with 60 to 70% left. It is an accessory like the mophie juice pack which is a wonderful battery pack I had used one for years with my 5s when I needed to be away from a charger for more than 2 days.
  • Reply 42 of 83
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    mechanic said:
    berenz said:
    I think I was just a little bit sick in my mouth. Apart from adding bulk and looking far from Apple's usual high-standards, it's surely an admission that the battery on the 6 and 6S are still woefully inadequate. I'd sacrifice having a thinner iPhone for 50% increase in battery - and even that wouldn't last me a full day at least a couple of times per week
    Lol do you even own a 6 or a 6s? I charge my 6s ever 2 days I can typically get through a full day with 60 to 70% left. It is an accessory like the mophie juice pack which is a wonderful battery pack I had used one for years with my 5s when I needed to be away from a charger for more than 2 days.
    So why now then? Why not before? 
  • Reply 43 of 83
    sog35 said:
    berenz said:
    it's surely an admission that the battery on the 6 and 6S are still woefully inadequate.
    Come off it.

    You're right. It's surely a statement that the battery life is so great that Apple just wants it to be greater.

    It has nothing to do with people buying battery packs in increasing numbers. Or that battery chargers consistently rank in the best seller phone accessory sections on Amazon.

    Apple clearly wants to make just a few of these for the so few people who want them.



    Tell me another sub 5 inch phone that has significantly better battery life than the iPhone6?

    Its simple physics. Smaller phones have smaller batteries.

    Just because a car company gives you the option of Sport tires does not mean the stock tires are not good enough. The world is about choice.  Apple is just adding another choice for iPhone users.
    There isn't. I'm being sarcastic only because every time someone makes a legitimate comment about the iPhone battery- they get attacked. Which is a bit sad, really.

    My iPhone is incredible but the battery isn't good enough. 

    It's my ONE complaint. One. Complaint. As in, NO other complaints. 

    I'm surrounded by non-techy iPhone owners. They all have the same complaint: battery life.

    Now, I could attack anyone who says this OR I could help push a great company to address it. As a shareholder, I'll take the latter, thanks.

    They get attacked because they are in the minority.  I agree it's sad that people attack them, but "poor battery life" isn't a valid complaint overall.  Most people have no problem at all with the battery life.  It's a "power user" complaint and something that only bothers a small subset of iPhone users.  

    To be fair, Apple has also gone out of their way to accommodate the so-called "power users" with the iPhone 6s Plus which has far more battery life, size, and storage than most people actually need.  
  • Reply 44 of 83
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    I think this looks incredibly nifty.

    I have no need for it as my phone already lasts all day, sometimes 2 days. But yeah, this is cool.
  • Reply 45 of 83
    cali said:
    With Apple's battery expertise and how they've engineered curved batteries, I expect a lot better from them.

    why not thin the battery a little and stretch it across the case so it looks like a normal iPhone case with a unified slim profile?
    people would buy these just to make their iPhone sleeker.

    heres an idea:


    "But morphie and others are ugly bulky too!"

    I'm talking about APPLE.
    Why don't you engineer that and then come back to us. You don't think Apple would have done that if it was actually possible? You think Jony Ive, who is supposedly obsessed with thinness would approve a case with a big hump in the back if Apple could make something that thin? 9to5Mac has an unboxing on their site. Like a lot of other reviews it's mostly positive, the only negative really being the extra weight. This reminds me of the Watch dock. The immediate reaction was fugly and wtf Apple yet people that actually purchased it thought it was well made and quite nice. Again most of the "reviews" of this battery case are from people who don't own it and have never used one.
  • Reply 46 of 83
    melgross said:
    laytech said:
    It serves a purpose for say field engineers or people in certain situations where they may need extended battery, but I have to agree, it is ugly and I hate to say it but can't imagine that would have sneaked through on "Steve's watch". With that said, it's an accessory and we don't have to buy it or like it, but at least if people need it, want it, they can have it. Serves a purpose and is functional.
    There are already cases on the market, so why develop one? Is Morphie making billions of dollars in sales? How much of those sales can Apple grab?  
    As Apple doesn't normally compete in certain classes of accessories, there must be a really good reason, from their point of view, as to why they would do this. Since this is new, we haven't heard anything from Apple yet. At some point, they may give the reason.

    Possibly this is for commercial uses, as a checkout device, where it will be used for an entire day, as in two shifts, meaning 18 hours. Using a Square card input would work well. Possibly this is more rugged than other consumer level battery cases. That would be a good reason for this, and the "beauty" wouldn't be so important in that use case (no pun intended).
    I do find it a bit curious that Apple felt the need to offer this. All it does is give the impression Apple is admitting the 6 and 6S have poor battery life even if that's not the experience for everyone (like me). And why would Apple want to give the tech press reasons to start up the whole iPhone is too thin debate again. To me this is an odd choice and I'd love to know who pushed for it inside of the company. My guess is it didn't come from the designers or engineers but came from someone in marketing, retail or finance who saw an opportunity to make some more $$ off accessories. I'm not sure it is worth it though.
  • Reply 47 of 83
    Did anyone ask for this accessory from Apple? Is Jonathan Ive on some long vacation that no one consider consulting him? This is one ugly piece of work. Why couldn't they have just gone ahead and filled out rest of the backside with some added cells as they have with new MacBooks. The little contour at the edges with the flat part as it already has would have looked lot more appealing and not a joke this new accessory has become as a iPod attached to iPhone.
  • Reply 48 of 83
    In the months that I've had a 6s, I may have run out of battery once. ONCE! Generally, I get to the end of the day without a battery warning at all. I have a Morphie for my 5 and it was great while traveling overseas. Using maps from the back of a taxi to or from an airport requires a lot of battery. I'm sure some pinhead can tell me how I should print out maps on paper or should have fifty different other ways to handle the situation, but the reality is I'm willing to use a battery case while traveling. This looks like a great solution, especially since Apple isn't licensing the female Lighting connector to anyone. I'm sure some other pinhead can tell me why Apple is such a terrible company for that situation as well, but I could really give two squirts, so don't bother. The net of this is it's great to have the OPTION to carry a heavier mobile device when I need more juice and a lighter one in other situations, always be able to use the lightning cable, and apparently have a very sleek integration with the device for optimal energy use and on-screen behavior. I'm grateful they priced the device at the same point as the Morphie as well. What's not to like here?
  • Reply 49 of 83
    I have used iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and now using iPhone 6. I loved the design of each phone. I have always charged my phone daily basis. I only needed extended battery when I travel because using the gps all day for navigation. That's why I'm using an external battery when I travel and it works great. The reason that I don't use battery cases is the chin. I hated it. iPhone's bezels are already thicker than the most of the android phones and adding more bezel makes the beauty of the design disappear.

    In my opinion, their battery case is distinguished than the other battery cases with the design of the back. However, the chin is still a big problem for me. If Apple would have developed the battery case attached only from the back I would consider to buy one. It can be a wireless charging solution too, it is a case slow charge wouldn't be a problem.

  • Reply 50 of 83
    It's ugly. Apple should have partnered with 3rd party instead of putting own logo.
  • Reply 51 of 83
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    is  it that hard to design a nice case?
    what's up with apple...
    Ipad pro keyboard cover... No trackpad... And no amazing inovation or design factor. No acomodation for the pencil.
    Appls Tv 4... Just made the old puck thicker.. No consideration for proportions
    magic mouse charging port at the bottom.. . Why ? Why ? 
    now the iphone 6 battery case .. Imho terrible...   Ugly.. 
    Who in this world approved that design ... Ahhhhhhhhh.
    is it realy that hard to design a battery  case ? 
    These are 1/2 the price.. And look streamlined. there are so many....
    whats up Apple... With these accesory designs and lately software ?




    So, how long does this last... You convenienetly didn't say so hey... If it lasts half as long, well you got your answer right there.
  • Reply 52 of 83
    mr omr o Posts: 1,046member
    pmz said:
    I think this looks incredibly nifty.

    I have no need for it as my phone already lasts all day, sometimes 2 days. But yeah, this is cool.


    Actually, giving it a second thought, Apple may have inadvertently designed a solution for a replaceable battery.

    It may look unsightly right now, but it could revolutionize the design of iPhone 7: separating screen and processor from battery and antennas. 
  • Reply 53 of 83
    mr o said:
    pmz said:
    I think this looks incredibly nifty.

    I have no need for it as my phone already lasts all day, sometimes 2 days. But yeah, this is cool.
    Actually, giving it a second thought, Apple may have inadvertently designed a solution for a replaceable battery.

    It may look unsightly right now, but it could revolutionize the design of iPhone 7: separating screen and processor from battery and antennas. 

    Not sure Apple would ever go down that route... but it would be cool.

    I remember when Galaxy phones had removable batteries and backplate.

    You could also get an extended battery that was thicker.  It came with another backplate to accommodate the thicker extended battery.

    The phone could be thin for day-to-day use... then you could swap in the larger battery with bigger backplate for extended use.




  • Reply 54 of 83
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    The killer feature of the Apple battery case is the fact that they kept the Lightning port intact. The lack of this feature is what dooms all other battery cases. 

    It does get rather tiring to hear people constantly blaming Apple for their own misguided purchase decisions. Apple purposely built the iPhone with an emphasis on lightweight design as a top priority. That was Apple's choice. It has consequences. If prospective buyers don't agree with Apple's design choices and the resulting consequences of those choices they should buy a different phone. Apple's competitors are free to make their own design choices, and some actually do. It's your choice to buy what you want.

    If epic battery life in a phone was a differentiating feature there would be a raft of pocket brick phones out there eating Apple's lunch. But that's not happening and what does that say about the demand for fat phones? What does that say about Apple's competitors?

    If you buy a product based on personal choice when there are a very large number of choices out there, and then don't like what you bought, you only have one person to blame - yourself. 

     

     
    nolamacguy
  • Reply 55 of 83
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    I'm surrounded by non-techy iPhone owners. They all have the same complaint: battery life.
    And yet, others are surrounded by iPhone owners who don't have a complaint about battery life. After some nine generations of iPhone, I'm sure that Apple has collected enough actual data, starting with its own employees during product development in 2005, to define battery life for a pretty wide gamut of its users.  

    There's no doubt that longer battery life can be a benefit, but at the same time, there are tradeoffs. The market wants thin phones, and contrary to a noisy subset of smartphone buyer, most iPhone owners are quire satisfied with current battery life. This accessory gives those that need more, an option beyond third party products.


    rogifan_old
  • Reply 56 of 83
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    melgross said:
    jfc1138 said:
    berenz said:
    I think I was just a little bit sick in my mouth. Apart from adding bulk and looking far from Apple's usual high-standards, it's surely an admission that the battery on the 6 and 6S are still woefully inadequate. I'd sacrifice having a thinner iPhone for 50% increase in battery - and even that wouldn't last me a full day at least a couple of times per week
    Nope, just APPLE acknowledging that there are some fraction of users who might benefit from this accessory. Rather than burden 100% of their customers with something so easily solved for the few.

    Though I think I'd still be more likely to choose one of the multiple charge carrying small battery packs for a simple external boost. Not that I've ever found that necessary with my 6/6s Plus.
    What fraction? ¼, ⅓, ½? They spent R&D money making this case, and had to design around existing cases. They wouldn't have built it if the ROI wasn't huge. That means there are way more people that don't like the current battery life than Apple would admit to. 
    If it's for the purpose I explained it might be for in my above post, then ROI from this particular accessory wouldn't be as important. And you can bet Apple is making a profit on it. But if it could lead to a lot more Apple phones being used commercially, then it would be worth it.
    Can't make a profit if you don't get a ROI, and if they were really going after the commercial market it would've been designed more like a LifeProof case. 
    All ROI means is "return on investment." That's it. ROI can be negative too. And you can have a large, or small ROI. But you always have an ROI.
  • Reply 57 of 83
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    mechanic said:
    berenz said:
    I think I was just a little bit sick in my mouth. Apart from adding bulk and looking far from Apple's usual high-standards, it's surely an admission that the battery on the 6 and 6S are still woefully inadequate. I'd sacrifice having a thinner iPhone for 50% increase in battery - and even that wouldn't last me a full day at least a couple of times per week
    Lol do you even own a 6 or a 6s? I charge my 6s ever 2 days I can typically get through a full day with 60 to 70% left. It is an accessory like the mophie juice pack which is a wonderful battery pack I had used one for years with my 5s when I needed to be away from a charger for more than 2 days.
    So why now then? Why not before? 
    Possibly because of Apple Pay, and other initiatives. As I said, if these phones are being used as pay terminals, as they have been for years, but for more points of sale, a longer battery life is a very needed thing. Attractiveness doesn't matter there. Businesses would rather buy a battery case from Apple than a third party, because if there's a problem, there's one place to go to for service.
  • Reply 58 of 83
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Guys, seriously, do you ever bother to read any other computer, or tech sites? If you do, you will read that Morphie has LOTs of patents on battery cases, covering both the technology, AND the designs. A number of patents on different designs, actually.

    And, as has been stated on these sites, some of them professional computing sites, Apple would have either needed to license those designs, assuming that Morphie would have been willing to do so, or just bought the company, which is also something that Morphie would have had to be willing to do.

    Obviously either Apple couldn't do either, or chose not to. If this isn't a big item for them, then likely it wouldn't have been worth the money for them to do so. If this is really intended for commercial purposes, they may just sell tens of thousands a year. Even if it's being bought by consumers, sales may not be more than 100 thousand a year, or so.

    Despite the few complaints here, very few people buy extra batteries for phones that allow that, and few buy battery cases for those that don't.

    While 75% of people do buy phone cases, I'd bet that the percentage buying battery cases is well under 0.1%.
    edited December 2015 rogifan_old
  • Reply 59 of 83
    igorskyigorsky Posts: 752member
    Fanboys even get their feelings hurt by overpriced accessories that don't make a ton of sense. If that is considered sleek than having an overstuffed wallet in your pocket with monopoly money may be just as attractive as this.

    Don't know that this case is sleek, but it's definitely sleeker than all of the other Mophie and Mophie-like bricks that are out there.  And it's very well integrated into iOS.

    People just like to spew without thinking.
  • Reply 60 of 83
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member

    what's up with apple...
    Ipad pro keyboard cover... No trackpad... And no amazing inovation or design factor. No acomodation for the pencil.
    Appls Tv 4... Just made the old puck thicker.. No consideration for proportions
    magic mouse charging port at the bottom.. . Why ? Why ? 

    - iOS doesnt support a trackpad, thus no trackpad in cover
    - Pencil is an optional accessory, thus no Pencil holder in cover
    - ATV puck is absolutely fine
    - mouse gets 30 days of use per charge, or 1 day after 2 minutes, and the top/front is an active touch surface, thus port on bottom.

    all hysteria for nothing.
    rogifan_old
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