Mophie is one of the oldest names in the business when it comes to smartphone battery packs, but its latest release puts a new spin on the approach. Instead of a battery case that can only be used with a single phone, the new Juice Pack Connect uses a modular system to clip a battery pack onto the back of your phone, where it can wirelessly charge it.
It’s a creative solution that solves a lot of problems of both bespoke battery cases and more modern Qi battery packs. The Juice Pack Connect works with basically any phone that supports wireless charging, not just a single device. And the clip mechanism allows for Qi charging to be used even when out on the go, without resorting to solutions like a weird suction cup array to keep the charger and phone together.
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Plus, Mophie’s system is modular, so if your clip-on battery dies, you can just slide on another Mophie pack and keep charging. There’s also the possibility for future expansion here: the company is already including a phone grip stand that can be attached to the main anchor point when you’re not charging, and it’s easy to imagine it could release other products that take advantage of the setup, too.
The battery pack itself features a 5,000mAh battery and offers both a USB-C port and Qi support, both of which can be used to either recharge the Juice Pack Connect or to charge a second device. Mophie isn’t saying what kind of wattage the Juice Pack Connect offers in terms of charging speeds, though.
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The other big issue with the Juice Pack Connect is the $79.95 price tag — a hefty price to pay for a 20,000mAh USB-C battery pack these days, much less a 5,000mAh one.
