Ukrainian company Concepter today debuted a new Kickstarter project for the Lunecase, a new iPhone case that uses electromagnetic energy emitted from the iPhone to detect and alert users when a text message or phone call is placed.

The Lunecase does does not require a battery or a connection with the phone, but it is able to determine when the iPhone receives an SMS message or a phone call, at which point it lights up an LED on the back of the phone to create a visual notification.

lunecase1
The case is smart enough to tell the difference between the two types of notifications and the LED in the case is powered by energy emitted by the iPhone itself. Eliminating the need for a battery allows the Lunecase to retain a thin form factor while being able to provide notifications. Lunecase was initially shown off at CES 2014, where it received positive reactions.

lunecase2

"Accessories made for the iPhone can sometimes take the beauty and easy functionality away from the phone," said Concepter founder Vlad Tislenko. "Lunecase brings the back of your phone to life and enhances the natural iPhone functionality with no batteries, no cords and no bulk."

Currently, Concepter is creating Lunecases for the iPhone 5/5s and the iPhone 5c.

A limited number of black Lunecases can be preordered on Kickstarter for $30, with a white Lunecase also available for the iPhone 5/5s for a pledge of $39. Personalized engraving is available for $99, and all Lunecases are expected to ship in August of 2014.

Top Rated Comments

Sky Blue Avatar
125 months ago
My iPhone has a builtin screen that can display the same information and more.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D.T. Avatar
125 months ago
It has not a battery nor a connection? Surely this uses some form of dark sorcery!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tbrinkma Avatar
125 months ago
I agree that it's a cause of concern that it can be powered by electromagnetic energy released from the phone, but I'm no physicist. Cool technology though.

If your phone didn't emit electromagnetic energy, it wouldn't *work*. That's what radio waves are. It looks/sounds like it's leeching power off your phone's transmit antenna, which 'powers up' when there is an incoming call or text.

If I'm right, I can't imagine this is going to do good things for signal strength/reception, and that'll cause your battery to drain faster.

I agree that it's a cool bit of tech, though. Even if maybe not practical.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thepowerofnone Avatar
125 months ago
This is a little scary - the fact that this case can power its LED off of the background electromagnetic emissions of the iPhone tells you that there is fair bit of energy to exploit there. Makes you wonder if there is a genuine cause for concern.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rudy69 Avatar
125 months ago
Kinda cool, but by the time it will ship I'll probably be looking at the iPhone 6 lol
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
125 months ago
CNN Breaking News tonight: Never mind potato fries making your children obese. Now potatoes are frying your obese children!!*

* Not based on any actual science. Real world facts may vary dramatically. No children were hurt in the making of this message.

Nah, CNN is all about the plane these days!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...