Apple's Surprise New Product Prolongs Your IPhone Battery Life
Apple announces a new product in time for the holidays.
— -- Apple launched a surprise new product just in time for the holidays.
The $99 Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s is the company's first foray into making power cases for its smartphones. The new case, which comes in white and charcoal gray, is designed to give heavy iPhone users peace of mind they'll have battery life all day. Apple hasn't made a version available for its plus-sized iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus.
Apple said when the case is charged with an iPhone, it has the ability to increase talk time up to 25 hours, 20 hours of video playback and 18 hours of Internet surfing on LTE, giving users plenty of juice for long days on the go.
The silicone case packs plenty of Apple smarts, including integration with iOS that will display the intelligent battery's level on the iPhone lock screen, ensuring users never find themselves running errands without any power. It's available in Apple stores today. Online orders will ship in one to three days, according to the Apple website.
If you don't have an iPhone 6 or 6s Plus, there are a variety of other companies, including Mophie, that make power cases for the devices. You can also follow these simple tips to make sure you make the most out of the battery you do have.
Low Power Mode
Make sure you've downloaded the latest version of iOS 9. Apple's most battery-friendly operating system also prompts users to turn on low power mode once their battery dips below 20 percent. You can also manually turn it on by going to settings and then choosing battery and low power mode. The setting temporarily reduces power consumption by reducing or turning off automatic downloads, background app refreshes and some visual effects.
Use Wi-Fi
If you have access to Wi-Fi, turn it on to save some juice. Go to settings and then Wi-Fi to access a Wi-Fi network.
Turn Down the Brightness of Your Screen
A bright screen can be a real power drain. Adjust the setting to as low as your eyes can handle and also make sure the screen goes dark when your phone isn't being used.
Airplane Mode
If being able to take photos and videos is most important to you, then try saving some battery power by switching your smartphone to airplane mode. While you won't be able to make or receive messages and calls -- or go online -- you'll be able to snap away to your heart's content, making sure you capture all of those holiday memories.