Code from Apple’s upcoming iOS 14.5 update, which is currently in the beta stage ahead of its expected public release in spring, includes references to an unreleased ‘battery pack’ for iPhone that could support MagSafe – Apple’s magnetic technology found on the iPhone 12.
Discovered by MacRumors contributing writer Steve Moser, iOS 14.5 shows strings referencing a new ‘Mobile Charge Mode’ and ‘Battery Pack,’ that suggests Apple is working on a new magnetic accessory that could attach onto the back of an iPhone to provide power on the go.
Unlike Apple’s range of Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and earlier, which feature a battery cell within a silicone case, Moser suggests that the new battery pack could attach magnetically with MagSafe on the back of the iPhone, similar to the MagSafe Wallet, to wirelessly charge the device.
The code snippet features a line reading “To improve charging efficiency and maximize availability battery life, the battery pack will keep your phone charged at around 90%.”
Some third-party accessory makers have already released magnetic battery packs for the iPhone 12, and given that Apple has released Smart Battery Cases for its iPhones since the iPhone 6s, it seems plausible that we could see a new, MagSafe version of the accessory launching at some point.
A plus side of Apple letting the battery pack magnetically attach with MagSafe would be that it could sit on top of all of Apple’s MagSafe cases, allowing for users to keep their current accessories, rather than having to purchase a whole new case, which Apple previously has only offered in Black, White, and Pink Sand.
