You knew it was bound to happen sooner or later: Apple would release a product that would have Steve turning over in his grave. And here it is: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Battery Case....
I agree. Then again, Steve Jobs was around for the iMac Hockey Puck mouse. What a disaster that was.
Well done, first media outlet to mention it not having a switch to turn the case off, I don't know who wants their phone hot and charging all the time.
You're making assumptions. You shouldn't do that.
I bought the case immediately. I love it. It's never warm. It's not "charging" when the phone battery is full of course. It using the case battery as a power source.
Wow, massive review fail for Appleinsider. Missing some pretty important key details to bemoan the lack of blinking lights.
This case is a boon for iPhone photographers and film makers, having the extra juice while on the go, but still being able to comfortably hold while in landscape mode. Having to stop and charge phones for shooting in locations/situations where time is limited is a big deal. The current phones more than excel for casual uses, but if you missed Apple's recent marketing featuring photography, there are a lot of people who use their devices in much more demanding situations and need a little extra juice, in a compact design, when it counts.
Not surprising low end users, style divas and brat fashionistas can't see that technology is for more than their limited grasp and interests. It goes to show that most whiners here are low end users, clueless about anything beyond their silly little games and website browsing.
Appleinsider should can this clown, and find some better reviewers. Embarrassing for this site, embarrassing for the whiners.
I don't see anybody else mentioning this here and for a review this is a glaring omission, but there is a fundamental difference from the way that the apple battery case operates and how the other cases in this segment function: if both batteries are fully charged, the Apple Smart Battery Case will deplete it's battery before allowing the phone to deplete it's internal battery. This puts the charge cycles on the external battery, which is cheaper and easier to replace than the internal battery. This saves you money and keeps your $600+ device younger, longer. Other options in this segment are designed to recharge your internal battery once it is depleted, adding additional charge cycles to your usage pattern.
Excellent point. Also, the antenna built into the case.
I don't see anybody else mentioning this here and for a review this is a glaring omission, but there is a fundamental difference from the way that the apple battery case operates and how the other cases in this segment function
It is weird how the key features that set this apart aren't being mentioned.
While that should be touted, it should also be tested (which I'm hoping AnandTech tackles since no one seems to be doing it).
Additionally, since it is a smart battery case that integrates to iOS, I wonder if that means iOS was updated so that the antenna would work via the Lightning port as a booster. If it does, it could mean others won't get that feature; and if it's not, then I wonder why others haven't added that feature.
Why is it assumed if something is critical that means it's fair and unbiased? I see people pointing out legitimate flaws in this review. John Gruber's review didn't really recommend this accessory but at least it was thorough and fair.
I just have this feeling this accessory will end up being more popular than any review would have you believe.
Wow, massive review fail for Appleinsider. Missing some pretty important key details to bemoan the lack of blinking lights.
Appleinsider should can this clown, and find some better reviewers. Embarrassing for this site, embarrassing for the whiners.
Agreed, and it's not just this article. This writer has abused the word "overclocking" in past articles to describe increased factory clock speeds. Technology writers need to understand the terminology they sling around. Otherwise they're just a bad imitation of a tech writer, trying to sound cool.
Criticizing the design of this product over something as personal and subjective as fashion is something that's hip right now. Better not defend this product lest you be labeled Apple fanboys. The trolls' shaming campaign is working.
Has anybody that's bashing this case used a Mophie case or similar?
Pictures and and statistics vs actual use are far different.
Mophie cases are made of plastic hence why they are cheap. Plastic is slippery, making it easy to drop. And when dropped there is no cushion. Also the Mophie case is 2 pieces and the one falls off when the phone is dropped.
the reason behind the hump in this case is to make it one piece. Which after owning a Mophie case is a huge deal. That far outweighs the aesthetic values.
Another key feature is the material which makes this case grippy.
it costs $10-$20 more and your almost guaranteed to never drop your $1400 cell phone. Sounds alright to me.
i hope they make one for a 6s plus and I will buy it.
I've owned several Mophie cases and there was one thing in common with all of them. They were absolute junk. Each one had was replaced - including replacing the replacement - because the micro-USB ports kept failing and breaking. They MicroUSB design is cheap, fragile, and kept breaking within a couple months of use. I finally gave up on them and will not use anything except a lightning connector which is robust, strong, and will hold up over time.
It irks me when people in the past defend the micro-USB port on phones. It's junk people. They break. What's more sad are the people that continuously come up with excuses why micro-USB is "superior" to Lightning when in my experience, it was a dismal failure.
I have an iP6+ so this case won't work for me. However.. for me the Lightning port is the killer-feature. I'd buy it just for that and give Mophie the middle-finger. They will not be getting any more of my money.
I wonder if they headphone jack issues (like all battery cases) is more in line with the rumor that Apple may use lightning-port headphones?
I've owned several Mophie cases and there was one thing in common with all of them. They were absolute junk. Each one had was replaced - including replacing the replacement - because the micro-USB ports kept failing and breaking. They MicroUSB design is cheap, fragile, and kept breaking within a couple months of use. I finally gave up on them and will not use anything except a lightning connector which is robust, strong, and will hold up over time.
It irks me when people in the past defend the micro-USB port on phones. It's junk people. They break. What's more sad are the people that continuously come up with excuses why micro-USB is "superior" to Lightning when in my experience, it was a dismal failure.
I have an iP6+ so this case won't work for me. However.. for me the Lightning port is the killer-feature. I'd buy it just for that and give Mophie the middle-finger. They will not be getting any more of my money.
1) If they update from micro-USB to USB-C, I think you should consider that as USB-C is an excellent, robust design (assuming you're in the market for a case).
2) Besides the Lightning connector, I also like that this can be kept on and that it's smart in how it uses battery life, not that it's Mophie or any 3rd-party's fault for not being able to make the battery case great. I hope that can also use this intelligent design instead of the backwards solution of using the phone's battery fit and then manually having to push juice to the internal battery from the external case battery.
3) I used to use a Mophie Juice Pack years ago when iPhones had considerably worse battery life, and yet still industry leading; I had no issues with ones I bought and felt the quality fit it well enough. I do love the feel of this one, and if the iPhone 6 Plus had on I might get it because of that.
I bought the Apple Smart Battery Case, and am glad I did. What I hope is that when it comes to the iPhone 7, Apple will (finally) significantly increase the battery life like many other companies already have so the need for most people for any battery case will be negligible.
Well done, first media outlet to mention it not having a switch to turn the case off, I don't know who wants their phone hot and charging all the time.
You're making assumptions. You shouldn't do that.
I bought the case immediately. I love it. It's never warm. It's not "charging" when the phone battery is full of course. It using the case battery as a power source.
How does it feel in your hand? I'm thinking about getting one just because of the potential better grip and maybe resting the phone against my pinky so that it might make higher up areas on the screen easier to reach.
Well done, first media outlet to mention it not having a switch to turn the case off, I don't know who wants their phone hot and charging all the time.
The phone is aware of both its charge and the case charge at all times, and in control over what each is doing. So why would you want to manually control this, rather than let the phone do the optimal thing at all times? You know, early cars had a zillion controls to let the driver adjust the flow of all the fluids, and other details of the mechanical operation. Getting rid of such things is progress.
It would be very interesting to conduct a poll on how many people would like a thinner iPhone vs one the same or 1mm thicker with much better battery life. I suspect the latter would be the most popular option.
Damn, that thing is ugly.
Well done, first media outlet to mention it not having a switch to turn the case off, I don't know who wants their phone hot and charging all the time.
As others have tried to explain, the Apple case battery is never used to charge your phone. Instead, your phone uses it as its first power source, depleting it before switching to its own internal battery. This reduces the number of charge cycles on the internal battery which over time, extends its service life. In other words, the iPhone operates simply as if it "knew" it had an additional battery.
Think twice about congratulating a "media outlet" that shares your ignorance of this. It is their job as reviewers to point out to you the differences and advantages of the product, but instead, the amateur reviewer was "puzzled" by a product he didn't fully understand, and concluded Apple wasn't competing. This smacks of a hastily written review. You should be demanding to know more, not pleased that your biases have been confirmed.
I honestly don't mind the idea of this, but it's flaws make it useless. There are much better options available on Amazon, so there isn't really a reason to get it. Good review.
Read my reply to indiekiduk above, it applies to your post as well.
I'm all for functionality and usability. Heck, I wish there was more of it from Apple. To start, give me an iPhone that isn't so slippery to the touch. But let's just stop with the bullsh*t and apologizing for clearly, a case that never should have been needed in the first place.
nonsense. the battery is not "needed". I've never owned one and have no problems with my iPhones over the years. this is for people who use them more than normal.
You knew it was bound to happen sooner or later: Apple would release a product that would have Steve turning over in his grave. And here it is: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Battery Case. Can you imagine the expletives that Steve would have screamed from his office if someone had dared suggest putting Apple's name on such an ugly piece of shite? I'm honestly astonished, and a little concerned, that Jony Ive signed off on this--it is so antithetical to the Apple aesthetic that has defined every aspect of the brand.
The "good" performance at a premium price seems par for the course for Apple accessories--but they generally win you over with beautiful design and functional touches that 3rd party accessories lack. Not so much here. Can't figure out how this even merited three stars.
you don't know jobs as well as you think you do. as he's said -- design is how something works, not how it looks.
It would be very interesting to conduct a poll on how many people would like a thinner iPhone vs one the same or 1mm thicker with much better battery life. I suspect the latter would be the most popular option.
Damn, that thing is ugly.
You'd think, but I have to trust the OEMs that constantly market the thickness and weight. Even this year, with the iPhone 6S, people complained that it got thicker and heavier, even though it did so to add to HW and didn't change by very much.
I love how people complain about people that hate a product that they've never owned but when a person reviews a product they own and give it a bad score you hate on them for not loving it.
no, we're hating on this review because it's poorly done and ignorant.
Comments
I bought the case immediately. I love it. It's never warm. It's not "charging" when the phone battery is full of course. It using the case battery as a power source.
This case is a boon for iPhone photographers and film makers, having the extra juice while on the go, but still being able to comfortably hold while in landscape mode. Having to stop and charge phones for shooting in locations/situations where time is limited is a big deal. The current phones more than excel for casual uses, but if you missed Apple's recent marketing featuring photography, there are a lot of people who use their devices in much more demanding situations and need a little extra juice, in a compact design, when it counts.
Not surprising low end users, style divas and brat fashionistas can't see that technology is for more than their limited grasp and interests.
It goes to show that most whiners here are low end users, clueless about anything beyond their silly little games and website browsing.
Appleinsider should can this clown, and find some better reviewers. Embarrassing for this site, embarrassing for the whiners.
While that should be touted, it should also be tested (which I'm hoping AnandTech tackles since no one seems to be doing it).
Additionally, since it is a smart battery case that integrates to iOS, I wonder if that means iOS was updated so that the antenna would work via the Lightning port as a booster. If it does, it could mean others won't get that feature; and if it's not, then I wonder why others haven't added that feature.
I just have this feeling this accessory will end up being more popular than any review would have you believe.
Criticizing the design of this product over something as personal and subjective as fashion is something that's hip right now. Better not defend this product lest you be labeled Apple fanboys. The trolls' shaming campaign is working.
2) Besides the Lightning connector, I also like that this can be kept on and that it's smart in how it uses battery life, not that it's Mophie or any 3rd-party's fault for not being able to make the battery case great. I hope that can also use this intelligent design instead of the backwards solution of using the phone's battery fit and then manually having to push juice to the internal battery from the external case battery.
3) I used to use a Mophie Juice Pack years ago when iPhones had considerably worse battery life, and yet still industry leading; I had no issues with ones I bought and felt the quality fit it well enough. I do love the feel of this one, and if the iPhone 6 Plus had on I might get it because of that.
The phone is aware of both its charge and the case charge at all times, and in control over what each is doing. So why would you want to manually control this, rather than let the phone do the optimal thing at all times? You know, early cars had a zillion controls to let the driver adjust the flow of all the fluids, and other details of the mechanical operation. Getting rid of such things is progress.
Think twice about congratulating a "media outlet" that shares your ignorance of this. It is their job as reviewers to point out to you the differences and advantages of the product, but instead, the amateur reviewer was "puzzled" by a product he didn't fully understand, and concluded Apple wasn't competing. This smacks of a hastily written review. You should be demanding to know more, not pleased that your biases have been confirmed.
Read my reply to indiekiduk above, it applies to your post as well.
read gruber's review.
you don't know jobs as well as you think you do. as he's said -- design is how something works, not how it looks.