Apple’s New Battery Case Looks Like An Orthopedic Shoe For Your iPhone

Though the iPhone slims down with each iteration, it’s no secret that the device’s limited battery life leaves a lot of people in the lurch. With the release of its new iPhones this fall, Apple made no effort to improve the battery; in fact, the company did the exact opposite, decreasing the battery capacity to make room for flashy features like 3-D touch.

It’s about time Apple made an effort to compensate for the iPhone’s shoddy battery life—and so the company has released the Smart Battery Case, a silicone case that doubles the battery capacity of the iPhone 6 and 6S. The case appears to be more svelte than the popular battery cases produced by Mophie, but Apple’s other design choices are questionable: The back of the case features a prominent bump where the battery is fitted—much like your back pocket might look when you shove your iPhone into it.

Our best guess on Apple’s inspiration for the case? The clunky aesthetic of an orthopedic shoe. The Verge‘s hands-on review of the Smart Battery Case echoes this sentiment, calling the lumpy design “a stark contrast from the solid curved back of something like a Mophie.”

The new case, which costs $99 and comes in white or charcoal gray, offers nearly the same specs as Mophie’s juice pack air, which sells at the same price. Apple claims the Smart Battery Case will yield 25 hours of talk time, about 18 hours of Internet use, and up to 20 hours of video streaming. Unlike the Mophie, however, the case can also be charged with the iPhone’s lightning cable, which means customers won’t have to lug around yet another cord.

Related: The History of Apple in Under 3 Minutes

[via Gizmodo]