Apple releases a $100 battery case for the iPhone 6 and 6S

When we finally thought Apple had launched everything it possibly could for 2015, here comes the Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6 and 6S. Every iPhone user knows that their smartphone is exceptional at many things, however, battery performance isn’t one of them, thanks to a wafer-thin design. Sure, the bigger Plus variant doesn’t suffer from that issue, and that’s because of its huge footprint which allows for it to be equipped with a significantly larger internal battery.

We are looking at a 60% increase in capacity, when compared with the one found in the iPhone 6S.

In spite of that, there are people out there who aren’t big fans of the Plus’ big size and prefer the smaller 6/6S instead. Hence, have to settle for poor battery life. And, Apple is aware of that. That’s why it specifically released the Smart Battery Case only for the iPhone 6 and 6S, and not their Plus counterparts.
How smart is Apple’s new case, you may ask? Well, it has a built-in 1,877mAh battery, a passive antenna, a charging status indicator, a lightning port, and iOS support.
Now let me explain these features in detail. The 1,877mAh battery will increase the iPhone’s talk time up to 25 hours and internet use up to 18 hours on LTE. However, according to initial reviews, the battery won’t completely charge the phone to 100%, due to it being similar in size to the internal iPhone battery — 1715mAh. It’s also the only battery case which features Apple’s lighting port instead of a MicroUSB cable, and it includes a passthrough for other accessories which make use of the lighting port —  for example the iPhone Lighting Dock; advantages of being a first party case.

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As soon as the device is plugged into the case, the device starts charging automatically and there’s no way to turn the charging on or off. The case itself doesn’t sport a battery level indicator, it only shows a 3-level charging status — amber, green, or off — with an LED, which is actually inside the case.

Yes, you read that right. The LED is inside the case and is only visible when the case is not attached to the iPhone. Nonetheless, thanks to tight software integration, the battery level is displayed inside the notification centre. Furthermore, Apple thinks the battery in the case would interfere with the radios of the phone, so it built a passive antenna which reroutes radio frequencies and helps reduce interference.

Design-wise, let me put it this way: it’s one of the worst designed products of 2015. It’s like Apple’s standard Silicone Case for the iPhone 6/6S, but now with a hump at the back for the built-in battery. Most battery-equipped cases are quite thick and significantly affect the thickness of a device, and this one is too, but only from the middle; which is awkward. It does have a cutout for the headphone port, but you’re more than likely to have issues with bigger headphone plugs, so keep that in mind. Other third party cases come with some sort of an adapter, but Apple doesn’t ship one with its own accessory. Moreover, for the microphone and speaker, there are openings on the bottom front of the case to redirect sound.
Unlike the company’s Silicone case range, the Smart Battery Case only comes in two colours: White and Charcoal Grey, and comes with a hefty price tag of $100.
Yes, $100 for a battery case which doesn’t event fully charge your iPhone. I would say, if you really want more juice out of your iPhone and are willing to pay $100 for it, buy a mophie battery case instead. The mophie Juice Pack Air comes with a way larger built-in battery — 2,750mAh, has a better design, comes in eight different colours and a headphone adapter, provides better protection, and is also priced at $100. Additionally, if you're not too fond of bulky cases, you might want to consider buying a battery pack which will cost you less and will have a much, much higher battery capacity, so you’ll get more charges out of it.

Predicting the Future of Tech

Understanding new technology is important. This is obvious if you work in tech, where you can probably feel the ground shifting beneath your feet. But even if you ostensibly don't work in tech, economies and job markets are being affected by new technologies like never before.

Tech Matters to Everyone

It’s harder now to be a luddite than ever. In fact, writers like Kevin Kelly believe that luddites don’t really exist.

He’s followed Amish cultures that have traditionally avoided technology. It turns out they are full of innovations. 

Amish culture is filled with hacks and workarounds that allow them to maintain their cultural ideals while getting things done. For example, they have created complex pneumatic systems as a way to power tools and manufacturing while remaining off the electrical grid.

They've simply created their own forms of tech.

Technology is fundamental to our humanity, and understanding how it evolves is essential to our livelihood. So, how do we predict where tech is going?

Crazy Ideas

Nicholas Negroponte has shown a knack for predictions. He, along with the MIT Media Lab that he founded, accurately predicted things like car GPS navigation and touchscreen interfaces decades before their time.
What is he predicting now? Ingestible learning. A pill you can take that will instantly give you knowledge, like the ability to speak French. The common theme among all these predictions has been that they were all initially dismissed as unattainable.
An idea like this brings to mind what Paul Graham has said about startups.

Disruptive startups begin with an idea that seems not just wrong, but maybe even crazy. Most truly disruptive technologies are initially laughable. 

Non-Linear Progress

How do laughable ideas end up coming true? One reason is because progress isn’t linear. Humans are good at extrapolating things in a linear way, but when exponential curves like Moore’s Law come into play, our cognitive machinery sputters.

To say that computing power doubles every two years is simple enough. To really appreciate what that means for tech progress is near impossible.

While many debate whether Moore’s Law will hold over time, progress in any developmental sense is rarely linear. Look at how quickly human civilization has sprung up within earth’s history: certainly not a linear progress. It’s for this reason that ideas like runaway AI and The Singularity are worth some attention, despite seeming incredibly far off.

How to Predict the Future

So where does this leave us? How do we predict the future?
Mostly it leaves us in the dark; or at best in a dense fog. But here are some clarifying principles for predicting the future of tech:
One of the most important concepts to understand is the Power Law distribution. It is the notion of one or two big hits, with many, many misses. Think of the results of entering a lottery.
New technology follows the Power Law: most technology won’t make an impact, but the few things that break out result in giant, unpredictable paradigm shifts. Even the best tech investors put money into many failed startups.  The one investment in a company like Facebook pays for hundreds of failed investments.
It’s for this reason that one should be skeptical of “experts” in this arena. Experts often believe that with experience, predictions can get better, but when the world itself is changing, you can’t become more confident in predictions over time. Experience in fact often makes thinking less flexible. In the early 90s, writers at Wired predicted that the Internet would become like TV, only better. Quite the understatement.
The trick, then, is to remain steadfastly open minded and flexible. Have ideas as a template to guide one’s actions, but be prepared to hold them loosely.
Technology has a recursive effect on the people that use it. New technology can power more ideas. As such, it pays to try everything. Though many worry about the effect that tech has on our culture, it isn’t by itself good or bad. It’s an extension of our humanity. Innovations will happen in the area of making technology a more personal, sociable and emotional experience.
With the rate of change accelerating, predicting the future will become more difficult over time. But by remaining energetic, open-minded, and surrounding yourself with new ideas, you stand the best chance of staying slightly ahead of the very sharp curve.