Apple Inc. has launched the first official MagSafe Battery Pack for the latest iPhone 12 lineup. The $99 accessory might not actually fully recharge a device, and will barely offer enough power to ensure a functioning device.
A snap-on battery pack for the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max is here. The new MagSafe Battery Pack attaches magnetically to the back of the iPhone 12. Owners of an iPhone 12 model can only acquire one in white color, and it requires an as-yet-unreleased version of iOS.
Apple Inc. official MagSafe Battery Pack specifications, features:
The new MagSafe Battery Pack from Apple Inc. is a small and compact snap-on accessory for the iPhone 12 Series. As the name indicates it relies on the MagSafe technology, which is essentially a ring of strong magnets placed inside the latest iPhone models.
The official Apple Battery Pack has a silicone coating that makes the accessory non-slippery. It offers backup power to an Apple iPhone 12. Although some reports claim a battery capacity of just 1,460 mAh, a few experts claim there’s an 11.1Wh battery, and there are two 1,460 mAh cells.
If someone tells you that the MagSafe Battery Pack is 1,460mAh – they didn’t do the research and went for the hot take instead.
It’s an 11.1Wh battery, which is about the size of the iPhone 12 battery. There are TWO 1460mAh cells in it, but you do lose power efficiency with Qi. pic.twitter.com/BWobnqsTRS
— Andru Edwards (@AndruEdwards) July 13, 2021
Apple assures iPhone 12 owners can charge the MagSafe Battery Pack and the device simultaneously. Technically, owners can plug the Lightning cable into an iPhone, and reverse charging could recharge the MagSafe Battery Pack with up to 15-watt of wireless charging. Apple, however, recommends attaching the cable to the battery pack, and let it recharge the iPhone.
Apple just launched an official $99 MagSafe battery pack for the iPhone 12 lineup https://t.co/twui3puexZ pic.twitter.com/Two9kvcJ0K
— The Verge (@verge) July 13, 2021
A 20-Watt charger will charge the battery pack and the iPhone at 15W. Apple recommends using a 20-watt or higher USB-C power adapter and USB-C to Lightning Cable for charging the battery pack.
The Support Document for the Apple Inc. MagSafe Battery Pack indicates an iPhone needs to be on iOS 14.7 or later to use the accessory. This is partly because owners can see the charging status on the home screen or in the Today View with battery widgets.
A $99 MagSafe-compatible Battery Pack that won’t actually recharge an iPhone 12?
The Apple Inc. official MagSafe Battery Pack has a battery capacity that could be less than even the iPhone 12 Mini. This essentially means it might not fully recharge an iPhone 12 model.
What is even more concerning is the fact that Apple Inc. has limited the output of the MagSafe Battery Pack to just 5 Watts while on the go. Only when connected to a 20 Watts wall outlet, it will charge an iPhone 12 at 15 Watts.
Here is a quick comparison of Apple's smart batteries:
iPhone 12 MagSafe Battery Pack ($99)
2x 1,460mAh (7.62V, 11.13Wh)iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case ($129)
2x 1,430mAh (7.63V, 10.9Wh)iPhone 10 Smart Battery Case ($129)
2x 1,369mAh (8.7V, 10.1Wh) pic.twitter.com/0Lbrydyjjt— Faruk 🚀 ᴵᴾᴴᴼᴺᴱᴰᴼ (@iPhonedo) July 13, 2021
If that’s not enough, Apple has further noted that the software might limit charging above 80 percent. This is due to the heating issues, which are common in such chargers.
If iPhone 12 owners are still interested in purchasing the official MagSafe Battery Pack from Apple, they can preorder the same. Deliveries will begin July 20th. They should, however, consider alternatives.