Apple has introduced a new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6s and it is also compatible with the older iPhone 6.
Smart Battery Case Overview
According to Apple,
“The Smart Battery Case is engineered specifically for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 to give you even longer battery life and protection.”
The case allows you to charge your iPhone and the battery case simultaneously. Using the case the iPhone talk time is increased from the standard 14 hours to talk time up to 25 hours. Internet use on LTE is increased from 10 hours up to 18 hours, as well as increases in audio and video playback.
The Smart Battery Case also provides a new “intelligent battery status” which is displayed on the iPhone Lock screen and in Notification Center, to show you exactly how much charge is left on the phone.
As should be expected, the case uses a lightning connector which integrates with the connector on the phone and allows you to not only charge the phone but also sync it without the need to remove the case. This also allows you to keep the case on while using iPhone Lightning Dock, which is sold separately.
Smart Battery Case Hinge
The case interior has a soft microfiber lining which helps protect the iPhone, and incorporates an interesting hinge mechanism towards the top of the case that folds back to allow for the case to go on and take it off again. The outside of the case is made of a soft silicone.
The case is currently available in your choice of charcoal gray or white and retails for $99.00
Our biggest complaint with the design of the Smart Battery Case is the bump created by the battery on
Smart Battery Case
the back of the phone. While bigger phones seem to be the trend for the past few years, many people are still unhappy with the overall increased size of the iPhone 6 and 6s. With the addition of the Smart Battery Case, the thickness of the iPhone 6 and 6s will now almost double. That said, early indications are that people don’t seem to mind the extra thickness once they get used to it
We were also surprised to find that there is no way to switch the Smart Battery Case on or off. It is an all-or-nothing solution meaning that the iPhone and Smart Battery Case charge together and use also use the power together. We prefer the style employed in the Mophie Juice Pack series which has a small toggle switch on the back of the case to control when the battery case power is being used. We also like the LED indicators on the back of the Mophie case which provides a visual of the battery power left in the case. You can see our full review of a Mophie Juice Pack case for the iPhone 5s here.
The Bottom Line
The Smart Battery Case is a nice addition for anyone looking for extended battery life for their iPhone 6s or 6, and wishes to stay completely in the Apple ecosystem. To us, the lack of control for when the battery power is used or an indication of exactly how much power the case still are minor issues since in the end, the whole purpose of these cases is to extend the overall time your phone is available to you.
The Smart Battery Case is available for all models of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 and has an M.S.R.P. of $99.00 and is available from Amazon.
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This article was last updated January 31, 2017.
Seems great provided that iPhone 7 has great battery size and will generate heat when used over prolonged period of time. The iPhone 7 battery specifications were released before the launch of phone, with plus version having much better capacity than basic one.
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