Apple's Smart Battery Case for the iPhone XS looks to be on the way

Some good news if you've invested in an iPhone XS and are worried about damaging it or running out of battery before the end of the day: Apple's official Smart Battery Case line-up for the new 2018 iPhones looks to be about to launch.

That's based on some leaked images obtained by 9to5Mac, showing a slightly refined design and three different variations to pick from (the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR, perhaps?). The images have been discovered in code for watchOS and iOS, so we'd file towards the more believable end of the rumor scale.

There are mentions of three models – A2070, A2071 and A2171 – and an identifier that suggests the products will launch before the end of 2018, just in time for the holiday shopping. They wouldn't make a bad stocking filler for friends and family.

Long live the iPhone battery

Apple hasn't made its own Smart Battery Cases since 2016 and the iPhone 7 phones, so we're glad to see them back on the market (probably). It looks as though more of the case will be taken up with a battery this time, which might mean more battery capacity.

For video playback over Wi-Fi, Apple quotes a battery life of up to 14 hours for the iPhone XS (with a 2,658mAh battery), up to 15 hours for the iPhone XS Max (with a 3,174mAh battery), and up to 16 hours for the iPhone XR (with a 2,942mAh battery). We'll have to wait and see how much of a boost these new cases might give you.

The iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case that Apple still sells is yours for $99/ £99 / AU$149, so expect the new cases to go for a similar price (and perhaps a bit higher, if we know Apple). As soon as they're made official, we'll let you know.