Rumors suggest Apple is working on a redesigned MagSafe battery pack

84% reliable

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Last year, Apple released somewhat similar battery cases for the iPhone 11 lineup.
Instead of using standard wired charging, these new cases would use Apple’s new MagSafe technology.
They would act more like a detachable accessory than a protective case.

It has been reported by Mark Gurman (reliability: 84.38%) that Apple has been working for a completely redesigned series of battery packs for the iPhone 12 lineup. These new cases would take advantage of MagSafe, the technology Apple introduced with last year’s iPhone 12 series, Gurman said.

Allegedly, these new chargers won’t rely on the lighting port to transfer energy - instead, they would do it wirelessly with Qi inductive charging technology. And, instead of attaching like a normal case, they would take advantage of the magnets present on the entire iPhone 12 lineup serving more as a detachable accessory than a protective case. This would also mean that you can use a normal silicone or leather case and drop the battery pack on top of it, making it a slimmer accessory, easily detachable when not needed (or not in use).

Apple has been developing the attachment for at least a year and it has been scheduled to launch in the months following the release of the ‌iPhone 12‌ line, according to people with knowledge of the product. The ‌iPhone 12‌ models were introduced in October.

The battery pack would attach to the back of an ‌iPhone 12‌ using the MagSafe system, which all the new phones use for charging and pairing other accessories like cases and wallets. Some prototypes of the battery pack have a white rubber exterior, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the product isn’t yet public. The new accessory would differ from Apple battery add-ons for previous iPhones in that it only provides additional battery life and doesn’t serve as a full protective case.

Many MagSafe users expressed their concerns about how the magnets might not be strong enough to hold the battery module in place, since they have been proven to have trouble holding something as simple as a leather wallet. However, Apple is reportedly using even stronger magnets in these new accessories in the hope of mitigating the issue.

Since these new gadgets use inductive charging, a technology known for its higher heat generation, some iPhone 12 MagSafe users reported issues like overheating while using the technology. During testing, the battery packs have also been reported to show software warnings, like the infamous overheating message on the connected iPhone. Apple has also been working on software workarounds, like making the case enter sleep mode when it’s not attached or being used. They’re also allegedly considering limiting the iPhone to charging to 90% to preserve long term battery life.

Although these new accessories are in the last stages of development and nearing production, Apple might scrap the entire project if the issues keep persisting, according to Gurman’s sources. Something similar happened to the infamous AirPower wireless charger in 2018.

There have also been rumors of a series of in-car accessories, similar to the ones Belkin launched last year. This way Apple would dramatically increase their MagSafe lineup for customers.

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Published to Apple Scoop on 20th February, 2021.