Smart cable helps people get away from power banks

For about as long as there have been iPhones, third-party companies have been coming up with innovative ways for people to get a little extra battery power to their smartphones. Early on, cases with embedded batteries were popular. These days, many users are accustomed to carrying additional power banks to top up as needed. For people who do not need the capacity of a full-fledged power bank, however, Nomad has a somewhat more elegant solution: the Ultra Rugged Battery Cable.

The Battery Cable is just what it sounds like: a cable with a battery attached. Nomad makes other cables, including a universal Ultra Rugged cable that fits Micro-USB, USB Type-C and Lightning connectors, but the Battery Cable is made just for iPhones. This means it is an MFi-certified product with a Lightning adapter only. This might have something to do with the battery's 2,350mAh capacity, which is enough to completely recharge the 1,960mAh iPhone 7 and mostly power up the 2,900mAh iPhone 7 Plus.

This kind of solution would not work as well for Android phones, which are generally known to have faster power drain and much larger batteries. For comparison, Google's Pixel XL has a 3,450mAh battery and Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge has one at 3,600mAh. Nomad might decide to release a different Battery Cable in the future to fit other handsets, but choosing the iPhone makes sense since consumers are likely to have a better experience with it.

Perhaps the best thing about the Battery Cable's design is that the pack starts recharging as soon as the iPhone battery is full. This is more seamless than always needing to recharge a separate power bank. People also often carry a charging cable with them these days. This specific cable could mean one less thing to carry if people go without the additional power bank.

The iPhone's battery is known for lasting a full day already, so it makes sense for iPhone users to need just one additional full charge for specific circumstances. Android phones usually need more than that, but high-end handsets such as the Galaxy S series and the Pixel should last a normal workday for most users. If manufacturers start attaching 3,000 or 3,500mAh batteries to cables, they could become a popular alternative to power banks.