Earlier today, Apple launched an official $99 Smart Battery case for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6. This is the first time that Apple has ever launched an official battery pack or case for its devices, and it has definitely taken quite a few people by surprise.

If the move in itself was not surprising enough, the hump on the back of the Smart Battery case that makes the iPhone 6s looks like an ugly duckling sure is. Apple has always laid more emphasis on form over function, so the company releasing a case that adds a hump at the back of the iPhone 6s is unimaginable. Plus, the $99 price tag of the case has warranted the question of how exactly is this case better than other similar offerings from third-party accessory makers that sell it for usually half the price?

Thanks to some early reviews of the case, a lot of reasons has surfaced as to why Apple’s Smart Battery case for the iPhone 6s is better than third party offerings.

#7 No On/off switch

Unlike other similar battery cases, the Smart Battery case from Apple does not feature any on/off switch. Simply insert your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s into the case and it will start charging your device.

#6 Drains power from the case first

If both the phone and case are charged to 100%, the phone will automatically drain power from the case first. A smart move in my opinion since you can then remove the case once its battery depletes.

#5 Does not need a headphone jack extender

Due to the thickness of the case, many third-party case makers have to include a headphone jack extender. However, Apple’s Smart Battery case is thin enough to not require an extender. This is not true for every headphone’s jack though: While Apple’s Earpods work with the Smart Battery case, the Beats Solo HD headphones don’t as pointed out by Joanna Stern from the Wall Street Journal.

#4 Remaining battery percentage status in iOS

The Smart Battery case does not feature any LED light to display its remaining battery percentage. Simply plug the case to your iPhone and iOS 9 will show the remaining battery percentage of the case on the lock screen and notification center.

#3 Charge both devices at the same time

If you use a 10W (like the one from iPad) or a another high power USB power adapter, you can charge the case and the iPhone 6s to full in just above 2 hours. You can charge both devices at once thanks to the integrated Lightning port of the case.

#2 Better protection

As a case, the Smart Battery case is better than other battery cases. Not only does it have an adequate front lip protection for the display, it also feature a microfibre finish in the inside that will do a better job at protecting the iPhone during drops than the usual hard plastic finish that other cases have.

#1 Integrated antenna

To make sure that the network performance of the phone is not affected in anyway, the Smart Battery case also features an integrated antenna.

A major disappointing aspect of the Smart Battery case from Apple is that it only comes with a 1877mAh battery. This means that it can only charge the iPhone 6s to up to 80% from a fully drained state. For comparison, other cases are able to charge the iPhone 6s to full and still have some juice left, while still costing less than it.

At the moment it is unclear if other case makers will also be allowed to integrate similar features in their battery cases for the iPhones.

Do you think the above reasons are good enough for you to shell out $99 for Apple’s Smart Battery case for the iPhone 6s? Drop in a comment below and let us know.