The new iPhone 11 (guide), iPhone 11 Pro (guide) and iPhone 11 Pro Max (guide) have arrived and there’s a lot to like. But, thanks to an accident by Apple, we now know this is not the end of the company’s iPhone upgrades.
Spotted by 9to5Mac super sleuth Guilherme Rambo, Apple has accidentally left references inside the latest iOS 13.1 beta release confirming the company is preparing to launch a new iPhone 11 range of smart battery cases. And I suspect they will change a lot.
“I can confirm that there are references to three new Smart Battery Case models that can be found inside iOS 13.1,” said Rambo. “The model codes are A2180, A2183 and A2184, presumably for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, respectively.”
Given iOS is now only for iPhones and the iPod touch, that presumption is safe. But why would Apple need new smart battery cases given the iPhone 11 design has barely changed since the iPhone X? Because the new models are thicker and the rear cameras have a much larger protruding hump.
The flip side is the added thickness is primarily due to the range getting much larger batteries with far superior battery life compared to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and even the long-lasting iPhone XR. As such, Apple will have to produce a second-generation case that is significantly more enticing than the surprisingly hideous design it has been using for several years now.
With the first generation smart case, iPhone battery life - particularly that of the 5.8-inch iPhone X and iPhone XS - left a lot to be desired so customers still (perhaps reluctantly) made it a runaway hit. But now they’ll need to be wooed with something that doesn’t make your iPhone look like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. User reviews are pretty damning.
In the meantime, Apple needs to place all its focus on a more immediate upgrade: iOS 13.1 because iOS 13 - while packed with cool new features (not to mention 25 great secret ones) - is a buggy, insecure mess which users are being warned off installing.
So remember: iPhone hardware upgrades are great, but it’s the iOS 13 software updates your iPhones need most right now.
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