iPhone Air gets external battery – especially for this model
Apple's thinnest iPhone ever is supposed to last a day. However, the manufacturer doesn't seem entirely sure – and sells a special MagSafe battery.
The "iPhone Air MagSafe battery": For those who need a little more juice.
(Image: Apple)
For years, Apple sold a so-called MagSafe battery pack. This was a comparatively thick battery that could be clipped onto the back of the iPhone using Apple's magnetic technology to charge the phone inductively. Now withdrawn from the market, the power pack is celebrating a rebirth. However, it is very special: the new MagSafe battery is only available for the thinnest iPhone of all time, the iPhone Air.
Battery too long for other iPhones
Although Apple adheres to its own MagSafe standard for the module, the company apparently does not want the additional battery, which costs 115 euros, to be used with other iPhones. Whether this “copy protection” has also been implemented on the software side and what happens if you try anyway is still unclear. There is currently only the official compatibility information—and it states in black and white that the new MagSafe battery only works with the iPhone Air.
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One of the reasons is probably the shape of the battery: it is elongated and comparatively narrow. As a result, it would run into the camera mount of the other iPhone 17 models—and possibly also various other iPhones—so a MagSafe connection would not be possible. It might be possible to use an iPhone case that “flattens” the camera area. However, this would then still be covered—unsightly in daily use. What is probably possible, however, is using the power storage via USB-C. The Apple blog 9to5Mac speculates that the connector is apparently designed to be bidirectional, as is typical for PowerDelivery.
65 percent more power, but thicker
It is not yet clear how much mAh the MagSafe battery delivers. Apple only states that an iPhone Air should run “up to 65 percent” longer—and thus also beat an iPhone 17 Pro Max. Charging via MagSafe is not particularly fast: according to Apple, a maximum of 12 watts is possible, although the Air can handle up to 20 watts of charging power via MagSafe. The power storage unit is recharged via USB-C with a power supply unit that should have at least 20 watts. Apple did not provide any information on charging times.
All in all, the new MagSafe battery is an interesting product but also shows that Apple's ultra-flat iPhone Air is unlikely to be a long-lasting product. If you dock the battery, you indirectly give it to—and spoil—the entire thinness. Apple emphasizes that it has also worked on internal routines to make the best possible use of the integrated power storage for “all-day battery life.” However, anyone who uses the iPhone Air a lot is likely to quickly reach its practical limits. The internal battery only has 3149 mAh.
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