How does an iPhone accessory company respond to the release of a new iPhone? as quickly as humanly possible.
Mophie, a California firm that makes protective covers and battery chargers for iPhones and iPod touches, is an official Apple retail partner. Consumers can find Mophie’s “Juice Pack” iPhone cases stocked in every one of the more than 300 Apple stores worldwide; Mophie says millions of units have sold to date. but when it comes to new iPhone releases, Mophie is privy to only a few more details than the average shopper or gadget fan.
Mophie assumes, for instance, that the next iPhone — generally called iPhone 5 because it will be the device’s fifth generation — will feature a 30-pin connector for charging and data transfer. that tidbit is no surprise, as nearly all previous iPhones and iPods have used a 30-pin connector. but it is helpful knowledge because it enables Mophie to design a series of iPhone 5 (external) charging accessories that will be ready in time for the new handset.
The timing of Mophie’s iPhone 5 products is, as expected, somewhere around October. Ross Howe, Mophie’s senior director of product marketing, says the company’s new accessories will be stocked in Apple stores “in the next couple weeks for any potential announcements.”
The appeal of Mophie’s iPhone 5 lineup is more power for less money. the three products – Juice Pack Reserve, Boost and Power Station – are all external batteries that can charge iPhones on the go. the smallest one, the Reserve, is a 700 milliamp battery that fits on a keychain and hides its 30-pin connector under a flip cap reminiscent of a Zippo lighter. the medium size, the Boost, is a 2000 milliamp battery that doubles as an iPhone viewing stand thanks to a cleverly-placed hinge. Mophie’s largest iPhone 5 portable battery, the Power Station, is 4000 milliamps. Because it packs a full-size USB port as well as a micro one and fast (2.1 amp) charging, the Power Station can also power up an iPad.
Previous versions of this series cost $39 to $99 but to boost sales Mophie is pricing its iPhone 5 series between $35 and $79. Mophie also increased the number of milliamps in each charger.
Aesthetically, the series mimics the sophisticated styling of Apple’s current iPhone, the iPhone 4. Howe believes the chargers’ stainless steel details and black, rubbery “soft-touch” finish will match the iPhone 5′s looks, as well. but he doesn’t know for sure since he has yet to see the highly-anticipated handset.
In that sense, Mophie has much in common with regular consumers. the company plans to update its signature form-fitting, battery-charging cases (Juice Pack Air and Juice Pack Plus) for the iPhone 5 but won’t finalize their designs until it examines an iPhone 5. that probably won’t happen until the handset officially goes on sale. To obtain an iPhone 5, Howe says Mophie employees will stand in line and purchase one, just like everyone else.
Mophie has done some prep work already, such as printing out rumored iPhone 5 dimensions to experiment with. but to produce a snap-on case – unlike an external battery –Mophie needs a close look at the different versions of the phone, which is believed to be the first iPhone compatible with three, possibly four U.S. carriers’ networks (AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA.) When Verizon began selling the iPhone 4 in 2010, Mophie had to tweak its Juice Pack cases so both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the phone, which differed slightly, would fit.