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Apple's new iPhone case nearly doubles battery life, at a cost

The tech giant is releasing its first iPhone battery case, which can be used with the 6 and 6s models
CNET reviews new Apple battery case 02:39

Tired of frantically scurrying around the building looking for an outlet to plug in your phone before it dies? Apple's new iPhone Smart Battery Case is the company's answer to end to the madness.

Apple says that the new slip-on battery case, which was unveiled today, provides enough juice to increase talk time up to 25 hours, Internet use up to 18 hours on LTE, and video playback up to 20 hours.

The battery is compatible with iPhone 6 and 6S.

However, some critics say the new battery case compromises Apple iPhone's otherwise sleek design.

"It's not all that attractive, but it does increase battery life up to 80 percent more. That's enough to get you through the day. But why didn't they do this in the first place, in the phone?" CNET senior editor Scott Stein said on "CBS This Morning."

Retailing for $99, the battery is pricey, and its 1,877mAh battery capacity is not as high as some of the competition, such as popular cases by Mophie. CNET experts also note that the headphone jack is inaccessible to some headphones.

The bottom line, according to CNET's review: "Apple's own iPhone 6 and 6S-compatible battery case is compact, comfortable and works with Lightning cables, but other cases exist that cost less and deliver more power."

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