We’re not sure what’s worse: when your phone dies unexpectedly or when your phone doesn’t fit into the pocket of your jeans. A new denim line from Joe’s Jeans, called the #Hello jean, tries to solve both problems at once.
The jeans, which don’t come cheap for $189, have a special opening above the traditional back pocket for a battery pack, which charges your iPhone 5, 5S or 6 in another special pocket alongside the charger opening. (Sorry, 6 Plus owners.)
The charging pocket works with the help of a USB cord hidden along the seams and connects to a small portable battery pack, which is an additional $49. Meanwhile, the iPhone fits into the back pocket and can fuel up on battery power (hopefully, without someone noticing — or snatching it away). Just remember to remove both components before throwing the jeans in the wash.
The intention is to let you leave your charger at home and forgo a clunky charging case, but it’s yet to be determined whether the jeans are more than just a gimmick. Plus, depending on frequency of use, the battery pack still may not sustain you throughout the day; it charges the iPhone 5 and 5S up to 85%, and charges the iPhone 6 up to 70%.
Regardless, Joe’s is not the first company to create pants with the iPhone in mind. I/O Denim jeans were designed with a pocket on the left leg, between the knee and the hip along the seam. While the #Hello jeans only work with an iPhone, the I/O line supposedly fit smartphones with a screen 4.8 inches or smaller, including Samsung’s Galaxy S devices. And last year, Nokia teamed up with designer Adrien Sauvage to create trousers fitted with a wireless charging plate — though we couldn’t find them for sale anywhere.
More recently, some companies reconsidered pocket sizes after the release of the iPhone 6 Plus.
