Apple is reportedly working on a new magnetic battery pack attachment for iPhone 12 models. Designed to wirelessly charge the smartphone, the new power accessory will magnetically attach to the back of the iPhone, like the MagSafe accessories, to charge the device on the go.
With the launch of the latest flagship iPhone series, the company introduced MagSafe accessories including the cases, wallets, and chargers which attach the magnetic coils at the back of the iPhone 12 line-up. It is expected that the new battery pack would be a good addition to the company’s lucrative accessories line-up.
Accessories and wearables have become an increasing source of revenue for Apple, with cases, AirPods, Apple Watches, home speakers and related products generating almost $13 billion, or 12% of total company sales, last quarter.
A new Battery Pack accessory for iPhone 12 reveals iOS 14.5 code
Developer Steve Moser discovered a new ‘mobile charge mode’ in iOS 14.5 code for an Apple battery pack for iPhone 12 series that would keep the smartphone charged at 90% to delay chemical aging and prolong battery life. However, the mode was removed later. Now Bloomberg reports that Apple has been working on the alleged battery pack for a year and was scheduled to launch a few months after the release of the iPhone 12 series.
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. 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.
However, the product’s launch is delayed due to overheating software issue.
In internal testing, the magnetic attachment system has proved strong enough for the charging unit to stay in place, but the accessory’s development has been slowed by software issues such as the iPhone erroneously indicating that the pack is overheating. Apple also has been working to mend issues related to a customer switching between using the device on an iPhone sometimes with and without a case.
This issue reminds us of another wireless charging device, the AirPower mat, which was shelved in 2019 over unresolved overheating issues to simultaneously power up an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch. Therefore, it is also likely that the alleged iPhone 12 battery pack gets “ultimately be delayed or scrapped.”
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