Tim Cook on New iPhone 6s Battery Case: 'I Wouldn't Call it the Hump'

Apple CEO Tim Cook attended one of Apple's Hour of Code events in New York this afternoon, where he spoke to Mashable's Lance Ulanoff about the new iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case, which debuted yesterday.

Ulanoff asked Cook if he was excited about the "hump," a mocking nickname people have given to the battery case due to its distinctive shape. In response, Tim Cook said he was aware of the comments people were making about the case. "You know, I probably wouldn't call it 'the hump,'" Cook said.

iphone smart battery case twitter
Cook went on to point out the malleability of the new Smart Battery Case in comparison to other battery cases. It's made of a soft silicone that makes it easy to put on and remove, unlike more rigid cases from third-party companies.

Cook was pointing out the issue with cases, like those from Mophie, that are so rigid it takes considerable strength and patience to put them on and take them off.

"If you make this solid all the way across," said Cook, indicating the spots where the Apple case's embedded battery stops and you just have the soft fluoroelastomer casing, "in order to get it on, you'd find it very difficult to get it on and off."

"So the guys had this great insight to put the bend in along with making it a smart case," Cook explained.

Cook also commented on the viewpoint that the case is an admission the iPhone 6s battery is too small, saying most people who charge their iPhones every day won't need the case. "But if you're out hiking and you go on overnight trips... it's kind of nice to have," he said.

Apple introduced its iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case yesterday morning, and its distinctive humped design quickly led to derision and negative comments from iPhone users. Reviews of the Smart Battery Case were also not overly positive as the case doesn't have enough capacity to fully recharge an iPhone and it's missing some features that are found in third-party battery cases.

Apple's Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6s is priced at $99 and is available from the online Apple Store and Apple retail locations.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

trifid Avatar
125 months ago
I vote this as ugliest product Apple has released in the past decade or so.
Score: 101 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mysterydate Avatar
125 months ago
No one thought to ask, "why not make the iPhone a bit thicker with extra battery in the first place & make the camera flush".

EDIT: I feel so popular. :) Use "THEHUMP" discount code for 20% off any of our not humpy cases.
Score: 93 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sirious Avatar
125 months ago
Well, this is embarrassing.
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
logicstudiouser Avatar
125 months ago
Steve would be shaking his head right now!
Battery cases should be obsolete. They are clunky and ugly.
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tonezorz Avatar
125 months ago
I actually agree. I've owned MANY battery cases, for many models of iPhone, and I'm excited to receive my Apple battery case. A soft case like the silicone apple case I've had on my iPhone 6 for over a year.

Most cases are rigid, tough plastic that typically snaps together in two or more pieces. Bright LED lights that you can't disable while it's charging, and on/off switches that I've never understood the point of. This case fixes all of these issues, and is only thick where it has to be. It's not thick at the top and bottom where the battery isn't. Yes it's weird looking, but actually looks like it will be comfortable to hold.

The only drawbacks are it's less mAh than most of these cases, and it's expensive. Considering the smart features, partially slim profile, antennas, and lightning port, I'd say those things are easily ignored.

People need to get off their high horse about "design" and "Steven Jobs wouldn't have allowed this". This is a mostly elegant way of providing additional power and doing a decent job of it.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThatTechGuy Avatar
125 months ago
"It doesn't look bad. Trust me. It's bendy."

Nice attempt at reality distortion, Tim.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)