Apple has finally released official battery cases for its latest iPhones, several months after their release.
It’s unclear why Apple doesn’t prioritize making these cases available from day one. Instead, the delays mean that early adopters who want extra battery life are forced to look at third-party solutions.
The smart battery cases are available for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. All three massively increase the charge capacity, taking the XS up to a potential 33 hours of talk time or 25 hours of video playback. Wow. They also work seamlessly with the same wireless charging tech that you might already have lying around – these are the only battery cases around that can wirelessly charge both the iPhone itself and the case simultaneously.
These official cases are probably the best you’ll find quality-wise, though their design won’t be to everyone’s tastes. The “battery hump” adds a fair bit of depth to the case on the lower two-thirds, though it looks a lot nicer than the previous-generation smart cases, which sported a bigger bulge and a “chin” that extended the height of the device. The new cases are slicker, though they’re available in just two colors – black and white.
Apple’s battery cases aren’t cheap – all three of the new models clock in at $129, while the old-style cases for iPhones 6, 6s, and 7 cost $99. There is no official battery case for the iPhone 8. You can check them out from the online Apple Store using the links below.
iPhone XS Max Smart Battery Case
If you like the sound of increasing your battery life (and protecting your device) but balk at those prices, you can get some pretty decent equivalents for much less from other suppliers. This $40 iPhone XS battery case has some of the most consistently good reviews around, while UK-based readers might want to consider this similarly impressive £30 iPhone XS battery case.
Bear in mind that third-party cases don’t have the smarts of Apple’s offerings and won’t integrate quite as nicely with iOS.