Two names familiar to many smartphone users will be Zagg and Mophie. The former is known for its tough screen protectors, and the latter for its range of stylish battery packs. It has been announced that Zagg has acquired Mophie for $100 million, merging together to create an accessory super brand.
This sounds like a great deal for Zagg, given Mophie’s well-recognized brand name and often highly praised products, but more money could change hands in the future. The agreement includes a clause which may change the final total, based on earnings over the coming year. However, the deal is final, and is expected to close before the end of March.
It’s not clear whether both brands will continue operating under separate names, but the press release states that the merger will create a “mobile accessories innovator,” and repeatedly talks about a combined company, suggesting the two names will perhaps become one, or that we’ll see Mophie by Zagg products in the future.
Whatever the eventual branding is, the intention is for Zagg and Mophie to produce new and exciting mobile accessories together, and make use of each other’s international distribution channels. Mophie carries plenty of weight in the U.S., where’s the best selling battery case manufacturer, and its hardware is sold online, in retail stores, and through networks. Zagg also commands a strong retail presence, a wider product range including audio hardware, plus it owns both the InvisibleSheild and iFrogz brand names.
Mophie’s battery packs and extended battery phone cases regularly turn up on our best-of lists for the iPhone, and we’ve been impressed by its more recent Juice Packs for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Zagg is also a best-of list regular, featuring on iPhone and iPad accessory roundups. It also hit the news recently with the launch of the Now Cam action camera and Flex Arc wireless headset.
