Tim Cook saw all the complaints fanboys levied against the ugly new Smart Battery Case his company unveiled this week, but the Apple CEO is defending the controversial new product, claiming Apple’s designers used ‘great insight’ to solve a crutial flaw facing most battery cases.
“The guys had this great insight to put the bend in along with making it a smart case,” Cook explained to Mashable’s Lance Ulanoff, who caught up with the CEO at an Hour of Code event today in NYC.
“If you make this solid all the way across,” said Tim — indicating the spots where Apple case’s embedded battery gives way to the soft fluoroelastomer casing — “in order to get it on, you’d find it very difficult to get it on and off.”
Rival cases from companies lile Mophie use two-part designs that connect together to form a big bulky case. They can be difficult to apply to an iPhone at first, but most users rarely take them off daily.
Despite his defense of Jony Ive’s battery case design, Cook confessed it’s really not for everyone.
“If you’re charging your phone every day, you probably don’t need this at all,” Cook admitted. “But if you’re out hiking and you go on overnight trips… it’s kind of nice to have.”
You know what else is nice to have on multi-day hikes Tim? A battery that can recharge your iPhone from 0 – 100 real quick (unlike the Apple case).
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
40 responses to “Tim Cook is big fan of iPhone battery case’s lovely little hump”
As much as I depend on using my Mophie battery case on day/overnight trips, it makes my phone extremely slippery and hard to handle. I’ve dropped it very frequently (we’re talking several times an hour) while in that case, and for someone like me, a soft texture with a raised back would actually make it easier for me to grip on-the-go. The case is made for me. Now make it for my + model and we’re good, Tim…
Get a Slickwraps. Never looked back
Put some gaffer tape on the edges.
I’d rather just carry a battery pack and charging cable
It amazes me how people (and even Tim!) are defending Apple with the likes of “you’re not going to use it every day” or “charging the Magic Mouse 2 only take a few minutes for a long charge, so the position is irrelevant” and so on…
Apple is all about industrial design, attention to detail, and getting things perfectly right, not almost right. Even if it’s just for the camping weekend. Or to charge your mouse for two minutes while you’re still working. That is exactly what Apple is about. Did everyone forget that Steve Jobs famously even worried about the INTERIOR design of the first production Mac? Or that he created a unique beige colour for it that had just the right friendliness?
I urge all people who are defending Apple rather highlight their mistakes. This is like deja vu if you’ve been an Apple fanboy in the 90s, watching how the company erodes under pushing out more and more products with less and less attention to detail. So yes, it IS important to moan about something as silly as a case. And while some say it’s a first world problem, keep in mind that Apple is a first world company. So these comments come with the territory, and the price point Apple pitches their products at.
And this was made with a clear purpose. If you make it thicker but even, it no longer fits in the dock they just released a couple months ago, which you can do with this design.
Think before typing next time, idiot.
You’re not a designer, are you? Have you seen the tapered edges of the MacBook, iPad and many other Apple products? Idiot.
I’m an actual user of them. You’re right; you are an idiot. Try again moron.
No problem sir. This moron and idiot, like just about the entire world complaining about this, are all wrong and you’re right. Must be awesome for you.
Awesome for me and the majority of people in the world who aren’t cynical asshats like you.
Indeed
“The bells, the bells Esmerelda!! :-)
Steve Jobs would crap in his pants and fire people for this.
No he wouldn’t. It was designed with the dock in mind. You can still use the dock with this.
No it wasn’t. Tapered edges would also give you a phone that fits on the dock.
Like you. You have no idea what you’re talking about. The whole back would have to thicker if there was no “hump”, which would make it too thick for the dock. Tapering it from the bottom would look stupid and be even worse to hold. At least this design is comfortable to hold. I love how you’re following me around now to further show how little you know about design and UX.
Ok. But I actually won a Red Dot award for one of my designs. So I think I do know a little more about it than the average guy.
Clearly not lol.
Here’s an idea, Tim. Next time make the iPhone a little thicker to accommodate a battery that will actually last all day.
But then, he won’t make anywhere near as much money if he did.
Maybe it’s me, but I don’t get all this hoopla. At all. If I’m an iPhone user, this battery case is BY FAR the best option available to me. Less bulky than other battery cases, Lightning port, iOS integration, etc. The argument that “Apple should make a bigger battery for the iPhone in the first place” is just dumb. This case is designed for the product that’s available now and offers a ton of utility.
Seems to me Apple doesn’t have a design problem as much as a problem of being stuck with a lot of users who just don’t get it.
Amen!
I’ve been a Mac user since 1984 but your comment if “stuck with a bunch of users who just don’t get it” has to be the biggest fanboy statement of all time. We get it, believe me. We also want a battery that lasts all day. Is that too much to ask?
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been an Apple user for over 25 years and never has Apple design missed excellent design as often as they do lately. It’s not that their designs are not good, it’s that they’re not excellent. Because excellent is what Apple is all about. To all those who think good is good enough, you really should buy another brand.
Says the person who knows absolutely nothing about design. Try again, dum dum. Or go back to the Samsung forums where they encourage morons like you to prattle on about their uninformed opinions.
So what’s your cridentials? I’ve won a Red Dot design award, you?
I’m not here to measure dicks. Just calling out assholes like you.
The say it takes one to spot one. What I don’t get is why you are so upset with people who disagree. You know, just because you like something others don’t (and half the web is alight about this design), there is no need to call them idiots nor behave the way you do. So I guess you’re compensating.
Only one compensating is you with your “Red Dot award”. Try again dum dum.
That was in response to your statement that I know nothing about design. I’m done here, no point arguing with people like you who have little respect for opinion other than their own. And then adding childish dum dumd to try and make their point stand out.
Poor baby is offended people think his award means nothing. Cry some more for us.
I should have known you would want the last word, and that it yet again would be about the person rather than the subject at hand. Please make my day with another childish comment like that on mine.
Still playing the offended baby card, huh? Only makes it sadder.
Oh and PS. I definitely don’t need you or anyone else’s approval. My designs are proven in the real world, where I’ve seen increases in purchase and use of 50% to 10,000%. I’m really happy that my wider audience loves my work. It won’t, however, appeal so much to people like you, who don’t care much for design taken to the very ultimate form and function balance, rather than stopping short. See, it considers everyone. It appeals to the wider clueless crowd who tends to get more excited about making a single functional connection and then highlighting that as the reason they know everrything about design, without a single other fact to back it up, and it also appeals to the top 2%, the truly well informed quality and design conscious, who understands the very essence of my product and brand.
And you thought I was overcompensating! HA! You’re an ignorant buffoon. Enjoy your fantasy world, asshole.
Facts vs attacks.
Yeah, the fact that you’re wrong and can’t help but attack those who disagree with your incorrect opinion. If you want to present some facts for once, people might actually listen to the crap you say. Until then, you’ll just be an ignorant blowhard.
Look, I’ve been the one stating facts about design, sharing my credentials and successes in design to support it. All you’ve done is attack the person on the other side. I thought you were quite smart noticing that there’s a reason the edge needs to be thin, to fit in the dock. But, any discussion that challenged the bump, which is untelated to a thin edge, saw you attacking the person with derogatory remarks. I’ve been kind enough not to report you, but you really are pushing the limits with your personal attacks. I’ve tried again and again to steer this discussion back to opening the mind and realising that there are multiple designs with thin edges possible, some of them more pleasing than others. You’ve been attacking everyone, not just me, on a personal level for not agreeing with you, that the bump is good enough. It’s fine to have different design standards and preferences, but then you also had to get personal. And you know, that’s actually not allowed here. So go on, continue replying with your derogatory remarks.
Continue playing the offended card all you want; it doesn’t make you any less wrong. And your continued long-winded responses only prove what a baby you are when someone challenges your worldview. Face the fact that Apple understands how to design their products better than you do. Or continue whining that you’ve been called out. Your call.
“Tim Cook is big fan of iPhone battery case’s lovely little hump”
So much hate for a little case. Personally, i like it. To each his or her own.