This Battery Pack Snaps in Half So Two People Can Charge Their Phones
Engadget has published a hands-on review of the Nimble SharePower battery pack, giving it a score of 8.6 out of 10 and highlighting a design idea that solves a real annoyance with portable phone chargers. Engadget
The SharePower is made of two separate battery halves that click together magnetically into one unit. When joined, they form a single 10,000 mAh charger — enough to recharge most smartphones about two to three times. When pulled apart, each half becomes its own smaller 5,000 mAh charger that works on its own. Nimble calls it the world's first sharable battery pack, and the idea is simple: one person carries the whole thing, then snaps it in half and hands one piece to a friend, with no extra cables or second charger needed. Engadget
The pack can charge up to three devices at once and supports 35W USB-C Power Delivery, which is a fast-charging standard that refills compatible devices more quickly than a regular charger. That 35W output is shared across both halves when the pack is joined together. Small displays on each half let you see how much charge each one has left. Engadget; Apple Store
In terms of size, the SharePower measures 3.1 x 2.8 x 1 inches and weighs 7.6 ounces — roughly the size of a thick sunglasses case. The outer shell is made from 100 percent recycled plastic, consistent with Nimble's focus on environmentally conscious production; Forbes reported in June that the company uses 90 percent recycled materials across the product. A built-in charging cord doubles as a carrying strap, which means fewer loose cables to lose, though the review noted that this setup has its own drawbacks. Engadget; Forbes
Engadget's complaints are specific. The two halves come apart too easily during normal use, the built-in cable is not ideal, and the SharePower costs more than a basic charger. Engadget Nimble lists the SharePower at $79.95 on its website. Nimble For comparison, a standard 10,000 mAh charger from a mainstream brand typically costs between $25 and $40, so the SharePower carries a significant price premium for its snap-apart design and recycled materials. It comes in white, blue, and pink. Forbes
The broader question is whether a clever design is enough to justify charging nearly double the price in a product category where most people just want something affordable and reliable. Battery packs are usually something you buy because your phone died at a bad time, not because you are excited about how they look. Nimble is betting that the scenario of two people needing power at the same time, from one object that divides cleanly, happens often enough to make the higher price worth it.
The most important criticism in the review is that the two halves separate too easily. This matters because it undermines the whole idea: if the pieces come apart in your bag or pocket while you are traveling, what was supposed to be one full-sized charger becomes two smaller ones you didn't mean to carry separately. A firmer latch that takes a more deliberate action to release would fix this without changing the design. Whether Nimble addresses this in a future version is an open question.
The recycled-materials angle is also less unique than it was a couple of years ago. Several companies now use recycled plastics in their accessories, and Apple already sells the SharePower in its stores alongside its own products, which makes the environmental framing feel normal rather than special. Where it still counts is in the combination: a charger that is both snap-apart sharable and made from recycled materials may appeal to buyers who care about both things at once.
For people who frequently travel with a companion or live in a household where two phones always seem to need charging at the same time, the SharePower is a genuinely thoughtful answer to a real problem. The design is not perfect, and the price asks buyers to pay for cleverness rather than raw charging capacity. But the 8.6 score from Engadget reflects a product that does something new and does it well enough to recommend, which is more than most battery packs can say.
