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BARCELONA, Spain–Smartphone accessory maker Mophie may have launched the Juice Pack Helium two weeks back, but the successor to its iPhone 4 and 4S Juice Pack Air case has just been revealed at Pepcom’s MobileFocus Global event here at Mobile World Congress.
While the Juice Pack Air looks similar to the Helium, we’re told that the Air is slightly heavier (helium floats because its lighter than air). Not that we could tell, both cases felt pretty light in our hands. The Air sports a 1,700mAh battery, and the Helium has a charge of just 1,500mAh. Both cases will charge your phone faster at a rate of 1A (ampere) instead of the 500ma found on older models.
The biggest noticeable design difference in both cases is that the Air has actual buttons mapped to the mute and volume controls, while the Helium has a gap. This actually makes it easier to use — you don’t have the frame of the case blocking your fingers from trying to use the buttons.
The Air will officially be announced on Monday, and will be shipping in the U.S. this week for $99. International customers will have to wait until March 21 for their chance to get their hands on the case.
