As usual , with charging devices and cabling, Anker offers a superior product and much better value than Apple.
But I’m curious about the rather poor 50% efficiency of Qi charging vs 80% MagSafe. Wonder what the math works out to be with Anker vs Apple? Author alluded that Apple‘s rendition is better but I want to see some numbers or real world use.
The Qi folks claim 30% to 45% fwiw, depending on a million factors including non-precise placement by the user. It's just the physics of EM field generation.
We've seen closer to 50% on Qi. We're still working on MagSafe, but it looks at about 80% to 85% on MagSafe. I'm guessing this has to do with the smart battery charging, and the extremely precise coil line-up that MagSafe gives.
Good review. It’s just not a product I’m going to drop $100 on, especially given it’s low-ish capacity, heft, abs lack of MagSafe input. I have ample charging opportunities for my 12 pro max, including a third party battery bank with USB-C PD.
2) I’d love to know—maybe it’s on Apple’s site, but it would be welcome in the review, if the waterproof rating one gets with an iPhone 12 / pro is maintained when attaching this to it?
Cheers!
The battery pack is simply magnetically adhering to the iPhone so the structure of the phone regarding water is unchanged. Whatever water resistance rating the battery has would be separate, for that piece only.
“… trying to pack minimally and stick with just MagSafe. Now a second cable — albeit a small one — will always be needed to be brought if the battery pack is to remain charged.”
You do not need to take your MagSafe Charger with you! Your MagSafe Battery can act as a MagSafe charger. That’s why it charges your iPhone at 15W when it’s plugged in.
Why would you even think about taking both a MagSafe Charger and a MagSafe Battery?
I’m intrigued with the product as it can act both as a nightstand MagSafe charger and an always on your phone runtime extender. As said before, if you know you are going somewhere where you need another 10 hrs, just unplug it, leave it attached to the phone and put it in your pocket or purse.
No need to find a cable. No need to carry it separately. You always know where it is. And, it’s always charged up when you decide to bring it.
Then, if you happen to have more than one, it’s easily switched.
As usual , with charging devices and cabling, Anker offers a superior product and much better value than Apple.
Define value, please. From what I’ve read Anker is like the others - less efficient and unable to charge rapidly when plugged in. Two things this battery is better at. Also, reserve charging via one cable plugged into the iPhone. These all offer value.
You yourself said that speed and efficiency weren’t concerns when it comes to wireless charging. Have you changed your tune? If efficiency is a concern then Apple is off the table, too
Good review. It’s just not a product I’m going to drop $100 on, especially given it’s low-ish capacity, heft, abs lack of MagSafe input. I have ample charging opportunities for my 12 pro max, including a third party battery bank with USB-C PD.
I agree. Maybe if this thing came out in February or March, or if it had MagSafe input/stacking capabilities, I might actually get one. But the timing of this release is weird, being so close to the fall announcements. My $100 will be better spent on whatever they might be.
I cant agree with the criticism that the MagSafe battery pack can’t be charged via a MagSafe charger, and therefore it adds bulk in traveling situations. Using a Lighting cable, the MagSafe battery literally becomes a MagSafe charger for the phone, as thre battery charges itself. This was one of the features you called out.
Does it go more slowly than the highest potential for MagSafe of 15w? Yes. But who is to say that if the battery could be charged by a MagSafe charger that it would be alllowed to charge at that rate?
Magsafe can be charged by Lightning while charging the phone via MagSafe. I think yours is a bad take.
Some will buy and like it, a few will buy it and not like it, many won't buy it. That's controversial? If the price seems high then there are third party sellers to fill the less expensive option. OEMs are almost always more expensive than third party. Of course chances are good, but not certain, the less expensive model will not perform and/or last as long as the OEM. Third party sellers selling for less, often a cheaper product too, is pretty standard operating procedure for accessories. So it is the word "controversial" that immediately suggests clickbait material. Right now the vast majority of Apple stories are framed as controversy click bait. Apple offering an iPhone cover is !controversial! The ensuing troll and troll farming that follows is entertaining.
As far as videos and websites rating products etc, the Internet is factually significantly troll farmed and (attempted) highly manipulated. It has become a purposeful confusion to potential consumers of many things. It's an unfortunate disservice to consumers for what should be one of the best informational tools. So what it means is a potential consumer cannot put faith in video and webpages -- certainly not comment sections. As another poster aptly suggested, you have to search multiple places and sites to get any sort of honest view of anything.
IMHO AI is less trolled and clickbait. Not that it isn't, it is, but easy comparisons to some other similar content sites shows AI to be a better source of information. Another site clearly has the clickbait machine revving with its Twitter mob like troll/troll farming populating each !controversy! almost instantly. AI is far better on that front.
Ugly. Come on let's call this one what it is, an emergency only option for those who forget to charge their phones when needed. That "sleek" white plastic shell does not make me want to have one in my home, even for free. Apple has stopped trying to be great.
Regarding charging the battery pack with a MagSafe charger, if you take a look at the magnets on an iPhone12, you'll notice that they are oriented with the north pole to the outside of the ring and south pole to the inside. MagSafe cases are the same. https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/gZCD5IGDKL4eXp4L.full
In order to stick to the back of the iPhone/case, every accessory, including the MagSafe battery pack and the MagSafe charger, needs to be the opposite; south pole to the outside, north pole to the inside.
Therefore, there's no way to make a MagSafe charger that would stick to the back of an iPhone12 and the MagSafe battery pack.
Comments
We've seen closer to 50% on Qi. We're still working on MagSafe, but it looks at about 80% to 85% on MagSafe. I'm guessing this has to do with the smart battery charging, and the extremely precise coil line-up that MagSafe gives.
You do not need to take your MagSafe Charger with you! Your MagSafe Battery can act as a MagSafe charger. That’s why it charges your iPhone at 15W when it’s plugged in.
Does it go more slowly than the highest potential for MagSafe of 15w? Yes. But who is to say that if the battery could be charged by a MagSafe charger that it would be alllowed to charge at that rate?
Magsafe can be charged by Lightning while charging the phone via MagSafe. I think yours is a bad take.
So it is the word "controversial" that immediately suggests clickbait material. Right now the vast majority of Apple stories are framed as controversy click bait. Apple offering an iPhone cover is !controversial! The ensuing troll and troll farming that follows is entertaining.
As far as videos and websites rating products etc, the Internet is factually significantly troll farmed and (attempted) highly manipulated. It has become a purposeful confusion to potential consumers of many things. It's an unfortunate disservice to consumers for what should be one of the best informational tools. So what it means is a potential consumer cannot put faith in video and webpages -- certainly not comment sections. As another poster aptly suggested, you have to search multiple places and sites to get any sort of honest view of anything.
IMHO AI is less trolled and clickbait. Not that it isn't, it is, but easy comparisons to some other similar content sites shows AI to be a better source of information. Another site clearly has the clickbait machine revving with its Twitter mob like troll/troll farming populating each !controversy! almost instantly. AI is far better on that front.
In order to stick to the back of the iPhone/case, every accessory, including the MagSafe battery pack and the MagSafe charger, needs to be the opposite; south pole to the outside, north pole to the inside.
Therefore, there's no way to make a MagSafe charger that would stick to the back of an iPhone12 and the MagSafe battery pack.