Dan Moren:
There were no doubt some shouts of joy when Apple mentioned it had a new version of its MagSafe Battery, but if you want one of those to boost your phone’s longevity, be aware: it’s an iPhone Air exclusive. The key’s in the name “iPhone Air MagSafe Battery”—Apple says it “was created exclusively for iPhone Air” and only the iPhone Air is listed in the Compatibility section. Sorry iPhone 17/17 Pro users, you’re out of luck. (Alas, the same is true of the new iPhone bumper case too.)
This is a bit of a bummer. I really love Apple’s old MagSafe Battery Pack. (I’m using one right now, after a long day with lots of phone usage.) I love that they’re making a new one, but it literally only fits on the iPhone Air. It’s so tall that it doesn’t fit under the camera plateau on any other iPhone, new or old.
Another tidbit I didn’t notice during the keynote: it’s not the “iPhone 17 Air”. It’s just “iPhone Air”, no number. I’m not sure what to make of that. If they release a new one next year, will that be the iPhone Air 2?
★ Tuesday, 9 September 2025