New Apple iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case Adds 1 Unique Surprise Feature

When Apple introduced its latest iPhones in September, it boasted that the new handsets had seriously improved battery life. Most strikingly, the iPhone 11 Pro Max claimed to last four hours longer than its closest predecessor, the iPhone XS Max.

It’s true, it’s been quietly revelatory. I’ve been using the iPhone 11 Pro Max since the day it was announced and the battery life is epic. I literally never need to recharge during the day. In fact, I never even think about it. 

So, today’s completely unexpected announcement of smart battery cases seems puzzling at first. What on earth do I need that for? Well, it could be handy if you know that you’re going to have to go without charging your iPhone overnight, for a start. 

Here’s everything we know about the new cases.

They’re wireless-chargeable

This is a neat feature, first introduced on last year’s smart battery cases for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. It means you can place the case on a QI-compatible charging pad to charge it, with the iPhone inside or not. 

They feel great

If you find the glass of the iPhone 11 a little slippy (the more heavily matte finish on the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are less so) the the soft-touch finish on the battery case is easy to hold in your hand securely.

They come in up to three colors

That’s one more than last year’s battery cases (which of course don’t fit on the new iPhones thanks to the redesigned and improved camera units on the back. 

For the iPhone 11, there are still only two color options, Soft White and Black. Both look very similar to last year’s offerings.

But if you’re a Pro user then you have three colors to choose from: White, Black and Pink Sand, which is particularly fetching.

There’s a new feature no other case can match

This is really cool. There’s a button on the case. It sits completely flush with the case, so you don’t notice it. When you press it, though, it launches the iPhone camera. Only Apple would add an extra feature to a case that directly interacts with the iPhone in a new way. 

Exactly how it works is a different matter. I’ve reached out to Apple and will update this story when I hear back. 

Actually, it’s cooler than that

That’s because there are extra details about this button that are worth knowing. First, it launches the camera even if the phone is locked. Second, with a quick press, it snaps a photo. With a long press, it records a QuickTake video. 

Apple says you’ll get up to 50% more battery life

Seriously, there’s already great daily battery life on all three new iPhones so an extra 50% is pretty amazing. Want to know how Apple worked this out? Here’s what the company says:

Testing conducted by Apple in October 2019 using preproduction iPhone 11 Pro units and software paired with preproduction iPhone 11 Pro Smart Battery Case units and software. Video tests consisted of repeated playback of a 2-hour 23-minute movie purchased from the iTunes Store. All settings were default except: Bluetooth was paired with headphones; Wi-Fi was associated with a network; the Wi-Fi feature Ask to Join Networks, Auto-Brightness, and True Tone were turned off. All battery claims depend on network configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary.

Specific, much?

The cases are available now

On sale now at apple.com, each case retails for $129 (£129 in the U.K.) so they’re not cheap. But they are cool. 

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