Apple Vision Pro may promise all-day usage, but that’s only if you’re plugged into a wall outlet or maybe a computer. If you’re on the go, you’re going to need the external battery pack that powers the VR headset.
And now that battery has a name. According to AppleDB contributor aaronp613 on Twitter (h/t MacRumors), the new Vision Pro battery will be called the “Magic Battery.” This is based on a deep dive they did into the tvOS 17 developer beta 5 code. Previously it had been the “MagSafe Battery Pack.”
It’s tough to see why Apple has given the Vision Pro’s external battery a special name other than it’s simply a marketing ploy to generate buzz around the company’s first mixed reality headset. But even then it’s a little odd. Apple is already so synonymous with MagSafe, the term used to brand its magnetic charging technology that can now be found on AirPods, iPhones and more, that it’s a little surprising it would use the Magic branding (typically found on Mac accessories like the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad) instead of a brand that evokes power like MagSafe.
‘Magic Battery’ is the least magical part of Apple’s headset
There’s nothing magical about a two hour tethered battery pack, but OK. https://t.co/SQOTdRe2B5August 9, 2023
Despite its supposed new name, the Apple Vision Pro Magic Battery is likely to be anything but magical based on what we know so far. The external battery pack will be connected to the Vision Pro headset via a MagSafe connection where the Head Band meets the headset visor. According to Apple, you then just slide the battery into your pocket and you can spatial compute on the go. Not too different from having a portable charger for your phone.
Unfortunately, your portable phone charger will give your phone a lot more juice than the Magic Battery will. The external battery is only tipped to provide up to two hours of battery life and the cable seems attached to the charging pack rather than detachable. So you may need to haul around several Magic Batteries (and their attached cables and MagSafe connectors) to get you through the day.
However, for those bemoaning the short battery life, which will fall short of the Meta Quest 3’s reported battery life — though admittedly the Vision Pro will almost certainly be far more powerful — there is some hope. A rumor suggests that Apple could offer more than one Magic Battery size.
That rumor also comes from aaronp613, but unfortunately other than spotting three separate battery model numbers their sleuthing didn’t return any further details. So it’s unclear if any of the three rumored models will provide more than two hours of battery life.
We won’t know for certain until Apple releases the headset sometime in early 2024.