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An unsightly battery case, but it does the job

SINGAPORE — Since its launch, Apple’s Smart Battery Case (picture) has been the subject of numerous “hump” jokes because of the protrusion at its back, and for good reason. It is truly unsightly. Still, after using it for some time, I found myself liking the case more than I thought I would as its function far outweighs its form.

SINGAPORE — Since its launch, Apple’s Smart Battery Case (picture) has been the subject of numerous “hump” jokes because of the protrusion at its back, and for good reason. It is truly unsightly. Still, after using it for some time, I found myself liking the case more than I thought I would as its function far outweighs its form.

The Smart Battery Case with a 1877mAh battery is made for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6. The exterior is made of a soft, matte silicon that is easy to grip and comfortable to hold on to — something I did more often since the phone became extra bulky and heavy when fitted in the case and no longer fit comfortably in my pocket.

To use the case, you slide the iPhone in from the top. It fits snugly against the case’s soft microfibre lining. I felt comfortable chucking my phone in my bag, assured my phone was protected and the case would not come loose.

The case’s battery is used first, before your phone’s. There are no buttons so you cannot turn it on or off. You check the case’s battery level on your phone’s notification centre instead of using a row of LEDs as with other cases. This is my favourite function — I know exactly how much juice is left.

Apple says the case offers up to 25 hours of talk time, up to 20 hours of HD video playback and up to 18 hours of web browsing over LTE with the iPhone 6s.

For me, it lasted more than 12 hours on a single charge. I used my phone frequently to check emails, message, stream videos and make calls. When both iPhone and case are fully charged, you would not have to worry about running out of juice while out.

You can conveniently charge your phone and case when they are fitted together or separately, with the Lightning connector instead of the microUSB cable used by other cases. A small LED indicator on the inside turns green when it is fully charged.

The biggest plus point of this case is that it is hassle-free. Its main downside: You will likely need an extender for the recessed earphone jack. The Apple EarPods will fit through the 3.5mm headphone jack opening, but other earphones, such as those with a right-angle adapter, will not.

The Apple Smart Battery Case is priced at S$148 and can be bought online and through channel partners. It is available in white and charcoal grey.

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