The iPhone 12’s built-in MagSafe magnetic technology has mainly been used to connect the device to MagSafe accessories and to promote faster wireless charging, though it seems as though Apple might just be gearing up to unveil a new nifty gizmo for their flagship smartphone.
Add a second battery directly to your iPhone
According to renowned news publication Bloomberg, Apple is hard at work creating a MagSafe battery pack that will extend the battery life of the iPhone 12 (and likely the succeeding models) through wireless charging.
The iPhone is no stranger to battery packs, but this would mark the first of its kind that isn’t built into a case for the device. This will be especially attractive to people who’d rather not carry around a case with a battery in it all day and would prefer just slapping on the battery pack whenever they need to juice up their phone.
Bloomberg: Apple Working on MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 https://t.co/V8dxZlUuKa by @waxeditorial pic.twitter.com/xVIe2zMhRw
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) February 19, 2021
Apple has yet to announce anything on the matter, though iOS developer Steve Moser did uncover a “Mobile Charge Mode” in iOS version 14.5 beta 2 that is related to a currently undisclosed battery pack.
“New ‘Mobile Charge Mode’ in iOS 14.5 beta 2 for an as-yet-unannounced ‘Battery Pack’ and not a case presumedly because it uses MagSafe for charging iPhone 12 devices. Also interestingly it keeps your iPhone charged to 90% for ‘battery efficiency’,” revealed Moser via his personal Twitter account.
New ‘Mobile Charge Mode’ in iOS 14.5 beta 2 for an as-yet-unannounced ‘Battery Pack’ and not a case presumedly because it uses MagSafe for charging iPhone 12 devices. Also interestingly it keeps your iPhone charged to 90% for ‘battery efficiency’. https://t.co/CPZXkBXkEc pic.twitter.com/jHHrrz4Qir
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) February 16, 2021
The MagSafe battery still faces significant challenges
Bloomberg further reports that the battery pack would supposedly latch on directly to the back of the iPhone 12 through the MagSafe system, similar to other MagSafe accessories like wallets and charging stands. According to an anonymous source, the battery pack is said to have a white rubber exterior which is to be expected given Apple’s signature aesthetic.
Apple is reportedly developing a new iPhone charging accessory in the form of a battery pack that magnetically attaches to the rear of the device. The battery pack accessory is thought to have been in development for at least a year, but it’s reportedly faced development issues. pic.twitter.com/q3dpiDmASW
— Daballoti ❁ (@heydaballoti) February 19, 2021
During testing, that battery pack’s magnet was reportedly strong enough to hold the accessory in place but had the tendency to produce software errors, including a false alert indicating that the battery pack was overheating. Given the gravity of the issues with the accessory, sources say that there is a chance the battery pack could run into significant delays or even be scrapped altogether.
Source: Mac Rumours
Image Source: Mac Rumours
