Doesn’t "work with iPhone"

Jul 13, 2009 09:41 GMT  ·  By

Upon introducing its new juice pack air case for iPhone 3G and 3G S models, mophie touted the product as being the first Apple-certified “Works With iPhone 3G” attached battery in the world. The juice pack air is an iPhone case that boasts a built-in battery for usage beyond the iPhone’s normal battery life.

“The juice pack air is specially designed for iPhone 3G & 3G S and has passed the strict over-the-air performance tests by an Apple designated test lab,” mophie claims. “As a result, the mophie juice pack air has been officially certified by Apple Inc. as a ‘Works with iPhone 3G’ product! The mophie juice pack air for iPhone 3G & 3G S, also uses [the] Apple designated connector, which can only be ordered through Apple’s certified vendors. This ensures it’s 100% compatible with your iPhone 3G or 3G S,” the company says on its website.

Unfortunately, at least for one user, the juice pack air isn’t all that iPhone-compatible as mophie had him thinking. Pete Mortensen writing over at 9to5mac has been “tipped off to some unresolved problems with the current generation for the combination iPhone case/battery pack” that refused to provide power to his iPhone, which, as the author himself asserts, “kind of defeats its purpose.” So, what’s the deal you ask? Well, here’s what the user alleges.

According to the same source, the user bought one juice pack air, found that it was defective, had it replaced and soon started experiencing the same issues. “It only happens if you discharge your iPhone to 20% warning,” he reportedly tells 9to5mac.

“Then allow the Mophie to charge your iPhone 3GS until its [sic.] depleted. Once it’s at zero charge the errors happen in the iPhone 3GS every time. I think those errors even crashed the phone once, but this is unconfirmed but feel its right since it was left to charge, placed in an outer mesh pocket of a laptop bag and found unresponsive later until removed from the Mophie and hard reset. Sigh.”

Even with an accessory touted as 100%-compatible failing to do its bit, we can only imagine how many frustrated iPhone / iPod users are out there. Have you a similar story for us?

Photo Gallery (2 Images)

Apple "Works with iPhone" sign - modified
Purported iPhobe 3G S (OS 3.0) error message triggered by mophie's juice pack air iPhone case with built-in battery
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