So you’re sick of your iPhone delivering subpar battery life? Apple has heard your complaints and has come up with a solution… a hideous, hideous solution. Apple on Tuesday unveiled its new Smart Battery Case that it says will add up to 18 hours of Internet use over LTE, 20 hours of video playback and 25 hours of talk time. The downside, however, is that it looks exceptionally ugly and costs $99.
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Here is Apple’s full description of the case:
The Smart Battery Case is engineered specifically for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 to give you even longer battery life and protection. The soft microfiber lining on the inside helps protect your iPhone, while the soft elastomer hinge design makes it easy to put the case on and take it off again. On the outside, the silky, soft-touch finish of the silicone exterior feels great in your hand.
Charge your iPhone and battery case simultaneously for increased talk time up to 25 hours, Internet use up to 18 hours on LTE, and even longer audio and video playback.* With the Smart Battery Case on, the intelligent battery status is displayed on the iPhone Lock screen and in Notification Center, so you know exactly how much charge you have left.
The battery case supports Lightning accessories, such as the Lightning to USB Cable (included with your iPhone) and works with the iPhone Lightning Dock (sold separately). Choose from two complementary colors.
A couple of publications have already gotten review copies of the new case and their takes on it are decidedly mixed. The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern admits that the case is “fairly unsightly” but she says it fulfills its stated purpose of giving longer battery life. The Verge’s Lauren Goode, meanwhile, simply says the case “doesn’t measure up” and explains that “even though the Apple Smart Battery Case costs twice as much as the $50 Incipio Offgrid Express, our pick for the best iPhone 6 battery case, and costs the same as Mophie’s Juice Pack Air, it doesn’t offer as much juice as these other battery cases do.”
If you’re interested in checking out the Smart Battery Case yourself, you can buy it over at Apple’s website at this link.
