Hevo Labs wants to bring MagSafe charging to the iPhone

In the past there have been rumors and seen patents that would suggest that Apple could be interested in bringing MagSafe-like chargers to iOS devices. For those unfamiliar with MagSafe, it’s the charger that is used with MacBooks that plugs to your computer via a magnet. This means that in the event you or someone else trips over the wire, the cable will detach from your computer quickly and easily, as opposed to dragging your computer crashing to the floor. It’s actually a pretty awesome idea and we’re surprised Apple hasn’t adopted something similar for iOS devices yet, but if you’re sick of waiting, you might be interested to learn that a Chinese company called Hevo Labs has launched a Kickstarter project called Cabin. The project proposes a MagSafe-like adapter for your iPhone which will allow you to charge it via a MagSafe-like connector.

A Chinese outfit called Hevo Labs is pitching a new iPhone battery case called “Cabin” on Kickstarter, and they’re quickly racing towards their goal of $50,000. What’s the big deal? The proposed case allows you to put a tiny adapter into the Lightning port of your iPhone 5 or 5s, thereby letting you charge the device with the magnetic goodness of a MagSafe-styled connector. The case itself is a slim little thing, although Hevo claims that it outperforms normal battery cases (and more than doubles the hours you’ll get out of a standard iPhone charge). Crafted from polished aluminum, the device respects Apple’s design philosophy and complements it in a way that third-party peripherals seldom do. As of the time of writing, they’ve already amassed $34,731 and there’s still 42 days to go. The idea’s so popular that, should you wish, you can simply sit on the page and watch the numbers race up. Keep in mind that it’s only an adapter, so you won’t be able to take your MacBook MagSafe power cable and charge your iPhone with it. There’s a good chance, too, that simply using the MagSafe name could get Hevo in trouble. In the past, Apple has shut down third-party projects that have used the MagSafe name, such as when battery maker Hyper had to stop selling MagSafe connectors following a lawsuit.