Apple has unveiled a wireless battery charger for iPhone 12 that attaches to the back of the device using magnets to provide extra battery life.
The MagSafe Battery Pack, which debuted on Tuesday, will compete against wireless phone chargers from other companies that have been available since last fall.
The charger, which costs $99, works with the following iPhone models: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. It automatically charges when attached to a compatible device, with no on or off switch.
Although the MagSafe battery requires no cord, it charges more quickly when connected to a phone using a USB-C to lightning cable.
Apple promised that the battery will cause “no interference with your credit cards or key fobs.” People with pacemakers, however, should probably avoid the battery pack as the American Heart Association previously warned people that Apple’s MagSafe technology could cause some interference with the medical devices.
It’s unclear what late Apple founder Steve Jobs, a design aficionado, would have thought about the battery pack, which resembles an iPod and adds extra bulk to an iPhone when attached. But it’s more aesthetically pleasing than competing wireless battery packs, like the Hyperjuice, which is $60 cheaper, but resembles a black cigarette box.
The MagSafe battery is available for online ordering and will ship next week.
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