Apple’s iPhone is famous for its classic design, stable software and millions of apps. It is also well known for its poor battery life. Apple would rather make its smartphone as thin as possible than increase battery life to acceptable lengths. The iPhone 6 is powered by an 1,810mAh (milliamp hours) battery, compared to 1,560mAh on the iPhone 5s, 1,510mAh on the 5c, and 1,440mAh on the iPhone 5. While the battery capacity does increase so does each new iPhone’s demands. For example, the iPhone 6’s larger, brighter display drains battery much faster than the iPhone 5. In comparison the Samsung Galaxy S5 boasts a 2,800mAh battery, and the LG G3 offers 3,000mAh. Apple claims up to 14 hours talk time on the iPhone 6, compared to 10 on the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c. But in real-life testing we found none of the iPhones last much longer than a day of regular usage. As the iPhone battery is non-removable users have relied on recharging during the day with power banks or battery cases that can charge fading phones back to full life while you’re on the move. Read our Best Power Banks round up, and also Best iPhone Battery Cases group test. Every time Apple releases a new iPhone it can take battery case manufacturers a few months to catch up. When the iPhone shape and size stays the same – as with the iPhone 5 and 5s – you can use the same battery case. But with the larger, slimmer iPhone 6 case manufacturers had to go back to the drawing board. The first proper battery case we’ve tested for the iPhone 6 is the Esorun iStand 6. Esorun has been making power banks since 2009. It’s a trustworthy brand as it is a part of Apple’s MFi “Made for iPhone” licensing program. But at present it’s available as part of a crowd-funding Indiegogo campaign, where you invest a sum in order to be one of the first to receive the new product. US$40 (plus $10 international shipping) gets you a black iStand 6 – plus laser engraving if you share the campaign via a social network or forum. For an extra $10 you can choose from White, Grey or Gold colours. Estimated delivery is March 2015. You can order the iStand 6 by investing here. Those are early-bird rates. The regular cost will be US$60 plus $10 international shipping, which works out at around £45 – which is excellent value compared to prices of Mophie battery cases that are closer to £100. And Mophie doesn’t even make an iPhone 6 battery case yet! We were immediately impressed by the 3,500mAh capacity of the iStand 6 – nearly twice that of the iPhone 6 itself. Theoretically this should give you close to two full recharges, but further testing will prove this or not. Generally with iPhone battery cases you don’t get the theoretical potential, but this is certainly the most powerful battery case we’ve seen for any iPhone. We will update with ful battery-life test results as soon as we have them. Also of great benefit is the fact that – as the name suggests – the iStand 6 doubles up not just in battery life but as a dock/stand, so is great for setting up for Facetime or video viewing. You don’t get that with a Mophie! Esorun has also included safe storage for a spare SIM card, which is useful for international travellers who can save money by using a cheaper, local SIM. These extra design functions don’t add up to much more bulk than a regular iPhone battery case. You’ll certainly notice the difference with a naked iPhone but you soon get used to the extra heft (95g), width, depth and height. The case has a soft, smooth almost rubber shell that feels solidly impact resistant. Its 1mm raised bezel should protect the fragile iPhone screen from knocks and drops. Charging time for the iStand 6 is 3.5 hours, and it comes with a year’s warranty. Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.
