Apple finally makes some more Smart Battery Cases for the latest iPhones

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With iPhone sales down, Apple must be feeling the pinch. Perhaps that’s why it finally relented and released new Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. I mean, there’s only so long you can watch third-party accessory makers make bank without doing something yourself. (Speaking of which, where’s our AirPower, Apple?).

The only first-party battery cases since the iPhone 7, the new Smart Battery Cases come in white or black, with the same bump on the back housing the battery. The new cases are all silicone, adding some measure of drop protection and some needed grip when held.

How much will these cases charge the phones?

The cases are $129 each, no matter which of the three devices you buy them for, and each has a varying battery life depending on which device they’re installed on.

The iPhone XS Battery Case offers up to 33 hours of talk time, up to 21 hours of internet use, and up to 25 hours of video playback. That nearly doubles the overall battery life of the device, which is rated for up to 20 hrs talk time, 12 hours internet and 14 hours of video playback.

If you have an iPhone XS Max, the Smart Battery Case will bump your stats up to 37 hrs of talk time, 20 hrs of internet use and 25 hours of video watching.

The iPhone XR Smart Battery Case bumps you up to 39 hrs of talk time, 22 hrs of internet use and 27 hrs of video playback.

The is the first official Qi-wireless charging case from Apple

This is the first time Apple has made a Smart Battery Case for the larger size iPhones. It’s also the first time that they have made a case with Qi-wireless charging, so you can charge using a compatible wireless charging pad or through the lightning connector.

The new Smart Battery Cases also show their battery status on the iPhone’s lock screen and in the Notification Center, so you know when to recharge.

Or yanno, you could just buy one of the cheaper third-party battery cases on Amazon. After all, they’ve had more practice.

What do you think? Plan on getting one of these? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.