Mophie Juice Pack Plus Case 2000 mAh and Rechargable Battery for iPhone 4/4S - Black

A continued problem with the iPhone is that of poor battery life. I often go for country walks using the iphone for navigation, photography, uploading photos and data, and listening to music. I have found I can only get between three and fours hours of use between charges even with wifi and bluetooth turned off. So I have always had to rely on external batteries to keep me going when using my iPhone 4 intensively in this way.

I have used other external battery units and whilst all have worked well to a greater or lesser degree none have entirely answered my needs. Some have lacked the necessary amount of power, others have been poorly designed, others have been too flimsy and not offered enough protection.

This top of the range solution from Morphie seems like the answer in many ways. The build quality is very good and the case has a reassuring professional finish with a non slip rubberised feel to it. The battery power is greater than that of the iPhone's own battery and so should at least double the life of the phone between charges. There is an unobtrusive row of LED's to indicate the charging status and battery remaining for the Juicepack. You can charge both the JuicePack and iPhone battery as well as sync the iPhone without needing to remove it from the case. Full and easy access is available to the iPhone buttons and cameras. The case is constructed in such a way that it boosts the sound from the tiny iPhone speakers and this does in fact work - the sound is louder and fuller when the case is fitted.

When the case is fitted the user can select if the iPhone takes power from the Juicepack or from the internal battery. When the Juicepack power is turned on (by means of a tiny switch in the casing) the iPhone thinks it is plugged into an external power supply and charges the internal battery from it. The iPhone keeps the internal battery topped up from the Juicepack until both are exhausted. A standard USB to mini-USB cable is supllied for charging, no need to use an Apple cable.

The iPhone with the Juicepack fitted is smaller than you might suppose and feels like a new albeit larger phone rather than an existing phone with added battery. It feels smooth and elegant in the hand and looks upmarket in the way the iPhone itself does. However, the phone is now about twice as thick as it was and this may put casual users off. This is a battery first and a case second. The phone is still exposed on the front face and it is a pity no screen protector was supplied. When I fitted the Juicepack my original screen protector came off and until I fit a new one the phone feels exposed and vulnerable to damage at the front.

This case is by no means inexpensive and there are several competitors on the market which are far cheaper. However, I do look on this one as being, well, the iPhone 4 of iPhone 4 battery/cases.

The Good
Good build quality
At least doubles effective battery life
Good documentation and packaging
Uses standard USB to mini-USB cable
Does not add substantially to the weight or bulk of the iPhone
Case construction boosts both volume and sound quality of internal speakers
Discreet LED's indicate battery condition
Full access to Iphone buttons and cameras.

The Bad
Adds somewhat to the size and weight of the iPhone
No screen protector supplied
Expensive compared to rivals
Recessed headphone socket prevents use of some angled jackplugs

After the initial `wow!' factor, the first thing I noticed about my iPhone was the big drop in battery life compared to my old, simple, text'n'phone mobile. If I use my phone a lot through the day for music, maps and internet, I find the power indicator is getting a bit low by the evening and, if I forget to charge it overnight, I run out of charge the next day.

Carrying a spare battery isn't an option as, unlike the rival HTC Desire or Desire HD, the iPhone's battery cannot be easily changed by the user.

The `horsepower' of mobile batteries is measured in mAh - the higher the number, the greater the capacity of the battery. The iPhone 4's internal battery has a 1420 mAh capacity and this battery pack case adds another 2000 mAh to this - i.e. well over another full charge worth before needing to plug-in. The pack is well built and mine came in a matt black rubberised material that is comfortable to hold and works pretty well as a protective case. However, the battery pack case inevitably adds more weight and bulk than a simple case.

If you need more power neatly attached to your iPhone, and don't mind adding a bit of weight and bulk, then I'd strongly recommend this product. However, if it is just more power that you are after (for example for a holiday without reliable access to plugs) then you might want to consider the TeckNet Universal USB Battery Pack, which contains a wopping 5000 mAh of juice and can be used with almost any portable device, although at the price of carrying an extra device and cable in your luggage.

I had this thing refunded as it didn't fit the iPhone 4S - as the seller admitted to me.

Used with the iPhone 4S, the case doesn't close properly, and the slightest press on the top activates the sleep/wake button, rendering the thing unusable.

It was one of those nightmares of looking forward to it, getting it, finding it was no good for my iPhone, sending it back, getting a refund, etc., etc.

Surprised to see that it's still being advertised as suitable for the iPhone 4S. Doesn't that contravene the Trades Descriptions Act?