Mophie

Mophie
Type of business Subsidiary
Type of site
official website
Available in English
Founded 2006
Headquarters Orange County, California
No. of locations 5 (Michigan, California, Netherlands, China, Hong Kong)
Area served Worldwide
Founder(s) Daniel Huang, Shawn Dougherty
Key people Charlie Quong (VP)
Richard J. Mullin (CFO)
Ross Howe (VP)
Industry Consumer electronics
Products Mobile device accessories
Net income Increase
Employees 350+
Parent Zagg
Slogan(s) #StayPowerful
Website mophie.com
Launched 2005 (as mStation Audio, LLC)
Current status Active

Mophie is a California-based technology company that manufactures accessories for smartphones and other mobile devices. The company's main products are portable charging accessories, particularly phone cases with secondary batteries contained within.

The company is listed as an Inc. 5000 company, and it was rated in the Top 100 Consumer Products & Services Companies in 2013.[1] In 2013, Mophie had $215.4 million in sales.[2]

History

Daniel Huang and Shawn Dougherty founded mStation Audio in California in 2006.[3] The company then relocated to Kalamazoo, MI and made their headquarters in a pole barn next to Dougherty's childhood home.[3]

In 2007, mStation Audio acquired the Vermont-based company Mophie,[4] and released its first Juice Pack products for iPhone devices.[5] The company, now under the name Mophie, earned $1.9 million in sales.[2]

In January 2014, Mophie partnered with Swarovski Elements to create a stylish, fashion-oriented version of their Juice Pack Air.[6] This is the first of several collaborations Mophie initiated in the fashion industry.

In 2014, Mophie partnered with Valentino SpA to produce limited edition products to compliment its Rouge Absolute line.[7] Proceeds from the devices supported the Cash & Rocket Tour, which benefited Shine on Sierra Leone, OrphanAid Africa, and Sumbandila. Each unit sold for $349.[8]

In January 2015, Mophie teamed up with ride-sharing giant Uber to deliver power reserves to those who needed them in Downtown Phoenix, North Scottsdale, and Old Town Scottsdale in Arizona.[9] Uber customers could request power reserves via the Uber app, which would then be delivered by Uber drivers.

In 2015, Mophie started the Mophie Rescue initiative at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.[10] Mophie encouraged attendants to tweet at them using the hashtag #mophieRescue with a screenshot of their phone's low battery life. Mophie tweeted back at winners with a link to an interactive map that tracked the movements of a group of Saint Bernards as they traveled around the festival. Once the winner met the dog, the recipient opened a barrel barrel attached to the dog's neck and retrieved the power reserve device inside to recharge their phone.

In 2015, mophie partnered with the charity (RED) to create a Juice Pack Air case for the iPhone 6. Proceeds from the case's sales went to (RED)'s mission of ending HIV/AIDS.[11]

In 2015, Mophie created a Super Bowl ad through Deutsch L.A. called "All-Powerless" that received critical acclaim.[12] The commercial featured a series of unusual events and natural disasters happening throughout the world and ended with a shot of God's phone, which had run out of battery life. Mphie was one of the smallest companies to advertise during the Super Bowl that year.[13]

In January 2016, Zagg, a consumer electronics accessories retailer, acquired Mophie for $100 million.[14]

In February 2016, Mophie launched its first wireless charging pack.[15]

In March 2016, Mophie re-introduced the mophie Rescue initiative at South by Southwest. This time, the dogs were in the passenger sidecars of Indian motorcycles so they could cover more ground and reach more users.[16]

In April 2016, the hashtag #mophie began trending on social media networks in reference to Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner reprising their roles on a new season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.[17] The hashtag's popularity caused mild, temporary confusion online as people used it to discuss both Game of Thrones and mophie smartphone products.

In July 2016, Niantic released the popular mobile game Pokemon Go. The game uses GPS navigation, which quickly drains battery life on mobile phones. As a result, Zagg's stock skyrocketed as mophie battery packs saw a spike in sales for iPhone and Galaxy users who wanted to play the game for longer without stopping to charge.[18]

In November 2016, Zagg President Randy Hales assumed the role of President at Mophie to "improve overall operating performance."[19]

Products

mophie's main product line are its Juice Pack smartphone battery cases; the devices consist of two-part cases, with one containing a connection to the device's charging connector within, as well as a secondary battery and a micro USB port for charging the secondary battery.[20] As of 2016, there is also a Juice Pack that charges phones wirelessly.[21] The Space Pack is a variation that also contains a secondary data storage, accessible using the Space app. Apps cannot be stored to this secondary storage.[22][23] The Juice Pack was the first battery case to be officially certified by Apple Inc. for iPhone products.[24]

Variations of the devices as standalone units are manufactured under the brands Powerstation and Spacestation.[23][25]

In November 2015, mophie added a new line of universal batteries under their Powerstation brand that can charge multiple devices simultaneously.[26]

In March 2016, mophie collaborated with fashion leader Baraboux to create a woman's clutch that can also charge a phone. The clutches were released during Fashion Week and received praise from fashion icons.[27]

mophie also produces keychain battery chargers with clothing company Supreme under the name Supreme/mophie Power Reserve.[28] In addition, mophie partnered with clothing company Opening Ceremony to produce a varsity jacket with a battery in the pocket that can charge the wearer's phone.[29]

In the summer of 2016, mophie released a wireless, magnetic charging station called Charge Force.[30] Charge Force comes in three separate models with different mounts for use in offices, cars, and homes.[31]

mophie launched a new magnetic phone case in October 2016 for the iPhone 7 designed to work with a number of all-in-one accessories.[32]

References

  1. "mophie – Tustin, CA". Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Mophie's rapid growth: A timeline of the portable-power company". MLive.
  3. 1 2 "From A Barn To A $200 Million Enterprise: mophie". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  4. "mStation Acquires Mophie". Twice. Twice. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  5. "Behind The Invention: The Mophie Juice Pack". Medium. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  6. "mophie Goes Glam in First Ever High Fashion Collaboration with Swarovski Elements".
  7. "Fashion designer Valentino collaborates with mophie for stylish charging in aid of charity". Pocket-lint. Pocket-lint. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  8. "Valentino x mophie Powerstation 4000". S/ Style. S/ Style. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  9. "Stay Powerful with Uber and mophie".
  10. "Phone Need a Charge at SXSW? Mophie and a Pack of St. Bernards Want to Help". Adweek.
  11. "mophie + (RED) Announce Special Edition juice pack air For iPHONE 6".
  12. "Mophie might have made this year's best Super Bowl ad".
  13. "This Apocalyptic Super Bowl Ad for Mophie's Phone Chargers Features the Ultimate Cameo".
  14. "Zagg to Buy iPhone Battery Case Maker Mophie for $100 Million".
  15. "Mophie Launches Wireless Charging Juice Pack For Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge".
  16. "Mophie Is Bringing Dogs to SXSW Again, and This Time They're on Motorycles".
  17. "Game of Thrones: Follow These Watches on the Web of Social Media".
  18. "Pokemon Go sends smartphone battery stock soaring".
  19. NASDAQ Global Newswire https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/11/01/885360/0/en/ZAGG-Reports-Third-Quarter-2016-Net-Sales-Growth-of-87-to-124-7-Million.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. "mophie Juice Pack Plus". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis Meia. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  21. "mophie Unveils Its First Ever Wireless Charging Battery Case with Juice Pack for Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge".
  22. "Mophie Space Pack (for iPhone 5/5s)". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis Media.
  23. 1 2 "Mophie is all spaced out with new Space Packs, Spacestations and a revamped Space 2.0 app". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  24. "Mophie's iPhone battery extender gets Apple certification". Macworld. IDG. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  25. "Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation review". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis Media. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  26. "mophie raises bar again for mobile charging with new powerstation line of universal batteries".
  27. "Elizabeth von Guttman and Alexia Niedzielski Celebrate Their Collaboration With Baraboux x Mophie".
  28. "Supreme Supreme/Mophie Power Reserve".
  29. "Power Piece: mophie For Opening Ceremony".
  30. "Mophie's new wireless battery case helped my phone survive 25 straight hours".
  31. "Hands on with the Mophie Charge Force wireless charging system".
  32. "mophie's New Magnetic Accessory System Lets You Add an External Battery to iPhone 7".

External links

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