The Ecosystem for iPhone accessories is this huge juggernaut that no one seems to be able to stop. But why would anyone want to stop it? Manufacturers certainly aren’t complaining because they are making tons of money off the huge margins this category of products has afforded. Fueled by the inherent weak points of the iPhone in general, companies are turning out products that do their best to gloss over these shortfalls while laughing all the way to the bank. One particular point of contention for most iPhone users is battery life.
Though battery enhancement products already exist for portable devices like the iPhone 3G, Mophie is one company that is approaching this problem a little differently than the rest. Instead of creating an external battery that tops up your iPhone with a cord, their product becomes part of your iPhone.
Despite sounding like something that mom would have packed into my Scooby Doo lunch box back in Kindergarten, the Mophie Juice Pack solves this power struggle and adds a couple of convenience features that iPhone 3G users may enjoy.
Features and Specifications
The Mophie Juice Pack offers iPhone 3G users another 1800 mAh of battery life through a lithium polymer cell. This easily eclipses the standard 1150 mAh internal battery. It’s also the first attached battery product to pass Apple’s “Works with iPhone” certification.
The signature features of the Mophie Juice Pack lies specifically in the fact that it becomes a part of your phone, making it easy to carry it around. The Juice Pack does add a noticeable amount of weight (3 oz) and size (doubles the thickness) to your iPhone 3G, which may be a huge turn off for some users that bought for looks alone. However, users seeking functionality will appreciate no longer being the only one in a a boardroom running for an outlet. The rubberized grips and the non-slip surface add some protection to your iPhone 3G as well as providing a much more solid grip than the slippery fish feel of the iPhone 3G’s glossy shell.
The Mophie Juice Pack also offers two very slick convenience features that users should enjoy: A battery meter that operates like the battery on any MacBook (indicated by four LEDs) and it also provides the convenience of mini-USB for both charging and syncing. The Mophie Juice Pack only fits the iPhone 3G 8GB and 16GB models and all of this can be yours for around $99.95 US, but you can decide if it’s worth it as we continue on with our review.
What’s In The Box?
The Mophie Juice Pack is extremely well dressed up on the outside, but inside, you get a mini-USB cable, a simple manual, and some stencil perforated into the back of the mock iPhone 3G cut out. Apparently, you are supposed to spread the “Mophie Love” with this stencil. Well, I guess this is a “Juice Pack” after all and I did fancy them back in the Kingergarten Days like I fancied stencils and crayons.
Installation and Charging
The Mophie Juice Pack installs very easily. With just a quick push into the precision formed shell, it is locked into place. There was no interference with any of the buttons, camera or headphone jack. However, when I tried flinging the combo at the couch, while hanging on to the Juice Pack, the iPhone 3G would dislodge itself, resulting in a slight flutter of the aorta. Luckily I was testing with the couch and not with the pavement. Removing it required a firm tug and wiggling so it isn’t going to slip off coming out of your pocket under normal circumstances.
Charging and syncing is accomplished using a standard mini-USB cable like the one included, and is compatible with the wall plug adapter provided by Apple. I really liked that it worked the way it did as it also allows you to borrow a charger from anyone in the office or sync with any mini-USB cable in case you forget your signature white Apple one: it is no longer required if you have the juice pack installed.
Too Big? Just Right?
Once in your hands, the Mophie Juice Pack powered iPhone 3G feels quite solid and the texture and rubber grips provide a bit of confidence that it won’t come flying out of your hand. However, it will produce an unsightly bulge in your skinny jeans because it does double the thickness of the iPhone 3G.
If you insist on trying to cram the iPhone 3G down your tightest pants, the rubber side grips are glued on and as with all things glued, they will tend to peel when subjected to heat over time. It’s just what happens to things that are glued on. A better solution may have been a mechanical connection.
One thing about the non-slip surface that is good or bad depending on how you look at it, is how easily dust and scuffs show up on it. After a couple weeks of use, it really doesn’t look pretty anymore. But again, neither do fingerprints. Also, if you look at how scratched the Juice Pack is, that could very well have been your beloved iPhone 3G’s own skin.
As much as they tried, Mophie really wasn’t able to get this Juice Pack to really follow the lines of the iPhone 3G. You can clearly see that distinct separation between the design of the phone and the design of the battery pack. But functionally, it doesn’t interfere with any of the buttons or the camera. However, it just doesn’t look very well integrated and I know that some Apple purists are going to scoff at that for sure. It doesn’t help that the whole inside of the juice pack is neon green. You’ve probably figured out that you can’t put another case on while using the Mophie Juice Pack though I would imagine the ultra thin Invisible Shield products by Zagg would make it under the tight spaces.
Battery Performance
The payoff for strapping this thing to your beloved iPhone 3G is the increased battery life. Using a somewhat unscientific test, I simply switched on everything, from WiFi to 3G to Bluetooth, and just let the phone drain on its own. No calls were received, the iPhone was never moved from the area and I only checked the screen every couple hours to see if it was dead. The Mophie Juice Pack lasted 17 hrs before switching to the internal battery and the phone continued to discharge down to the 10% low battery indicator, nearly 28 hrs later.
My only explanation for this is that since the iPhone 3G does run OSX Leopard, it may use more aggressive power savings on battery than it does plugged in (which is what the Mophie Juice Pack emulates) much like a MacBook. This increased drain on the emulated charging source dooms the larger battery on the Mophie Juice Pack to never being able to top the internal battery, which seems to be the case based on our results.
On the bright side, the Mophie Juice Pack does provide that extra 17 hrs of approximate standby that you might not have had, which could probably allow you to get through your whole day with moderate use. My personal findings do corroborate that as I did find that I was no longer charging it somewhere in the middle of the day with the Juice Pack attached under my regular use.
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
The Mophie Juice Pack is probably the most portable of all the external battery top up options for the iPhone 3G and ads valuable convenience features like the mini-USB connector for sync and charge, and the battery indicator. Also nice was the fact that the Juice Pack did offer additional grip and works somewhat like a case to guard your iPhone 3G against drops and bumps. After all, it needs to last through that long contract with your carrier.
Overall, I can see this product being a hit with owners that use a lot web, data and multimedia: things the device does well but is woefully under-equipped in the battery compartment to deal with. However, many Apple users in general do tend to gravitate towards the shiny and sleek industrial design from Cupertino and the Juice Pack certain looks like blasphemy strapped to the back of the Jesus Phone. But superficiality aside, the Mophie Juice Pack does do the job, despite being a bit optimistic in their additional battery life predictions.
The Juice Pack is an easy solution to an iPhone 3G problem, but if looks are a factor, you may want to hobble along till the Summer when Mophie releases their new “AIR” version that trims the fat and offers a more integrated look. It’ll also be cheaper at $79.95 US.
Pros
- Produces a solid chunk of useable battery life
- Integrates with the iPhone 3G for an all in one portable solution
- Gives the iPhone 3G the gift of a standard mini-USB connector for charge and sync
Cons
- The extra weight and bulk may be a turn off for some Apple design purists
Overall Rating: 7.5 / 10.0
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