Today, the last patent day of the year, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a new power device case that can facilitate operation with a portable electronic device and a battery device that can be connected to another external device. This could replace Apple's clunky MagSafe battery accessory for iPhone.

To minimize the number of separate devices carried by a user, a battery device can be held within the case that also holds the portable electronic device. The case can hold the portable electronic device continually and receive the battery device when the user wants to group the devices together.

The battery pack can provide charging power to the external device (e.g., wearable device) while held within the case. The case can provide engagement with the battery device to retain it and/or a communication link to communicate with it.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates a perspective view of a system including a portable electronic device, a case, a battery device, and an external device; FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1 with the portable electronic device, the case, and the battery device in an assembled configuration.

Apple's patent FIG. 10 above illustrates a side view of a system including a portable electronic device, a case, and a battery device; FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a system including a case and a battery device.

The battery device engager and the case engager comprises magnets.

To review its full details, review patent application 20230420961.