iPhone 16 gets super fast wireless charging, with the right MagSafe cable

AppleInsider

Apple's iPhone 16 has far faster MagSafe charging than previous models, assuming you get the newest charger. Here's what you need to know.

MagSafe 2 charger on an iPhone 16

The MagSafe charger has magnets that snap into place on the back of an iPhone for a secure connection and efficient charging. The magnetic alignment feature is compatible with iPhone 12 and later.

One of the critical improvements in the version of MagSafe is its ability to deliver up to 25W of power when paired with a sold-seperately 30W USB-C Power Adapter. For iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users, Apple says you can charge up to 50% in approximately 30 minutes.

The new speed is a significant upgrade over the previous generation, which topped out at 15W with the 20W USB-C adapter.

For iPhone 12 or later models, the new MagSafe charger still offers fast wireless charging of up to 15W when used with a 20W USB-C Power Adapter. For older iPhone models, like the iPhone 8, the MagSafe charger provides wireless charging speeds of up to 7.5W.

The MagSafe charger comes with a 1-meter USB-C cable, but a 2-meter option is also available for those needing a bit more length. Additionally, the charger is fully compatible with Apple's MagSafe accessories, including a range of cases and wallets that magnetically attach to your device.

MagSafe versus Qi2

Qi2 is an industry-wide standard that isn't specific to MagSafe, but it incorporates similar magnetic alignment features. MagSafe, on the other hand, is Apple's proprietary implementation of this technology, which leverages the Qi2 standard to improve charging efficiency and power delivery in the new charger.

While MagSafe provides the best experience with iPhone models equipped with magnetic alignment, it can also be used with any Qi-enabled device. However, the magnetic attachment feature only comes with iPhone 12 or later, unless you've added it with a third-party case or accessory.

Older iPhones that support Qi charging will need to have the charger aligned manually for optimal performance.

While third-party 25W wireless chargers are still rare, they're expected to become more common as Qi2 is adopted more widely.

Pricing & Availability

Apple's new MagSafe charger is available for $39.00.



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tnet-primary

To clarify, is this version of the MagSafe charger different than the previous version?  I don’t immediately sss a delineation on the Apple Store page link above.  Normally Apple will call it “first gen” or “second gen” or show which phone models are compatible with new features.  

Just curious if I need to buy a new charger cable or use my older one with a faster brick. 

slow n easy

That is exactly what I came here to ask. I have the original MagSafe that I bought for the 12 Pro. So can I use the same charger as long as it's connected to at least a 30 watt transformer?
Edit: obviously in order to charge at the 25 watt speed. I already have a 3 port 65 watt Anker charger. My understanding is that it doesn't matter if the power is higher than 30 watts because it will only charge at the rate the device is capable of charging at. I could be wrong, but I don't think it's dangerous to use a 65 watt charger. I believe Anker is one of the higher quality Chinese companies.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that the MagSafe part isn't the part that needs to be upgraded. I think that it's just the part with the transformer that needs to be upgraded.

charlesn

tnet-primary said:

To clarify, is this version of the MagSafe charger different than the previous version?  I don’t immediately sss a delineation on the Apple Store page link above.  Normally Apple will call it “first gen” or “second gen” or show which phone models are compatible with new features.  

Just curious if I need to buy a new charger cable or use my older one with a faster brick. 

When Apple Watch moved to fast-charging, it required a new puck and, of course, a charger brick that could deliver the fast-charging wattage. The new puck was cosmetically different, so you could tell it apart from the old puck, but otherwise seemed identical to the old one. I would imagine it's going to be the same for iPhone--new puck required for fast-charging but any charger will do so long as it can deliver the fast-charging wattage. It would honestly suck if you had to buy Apple's 30W charger for this, since we're awash in excellent, inexpensive and small chargers that can deliver those watts, a product that I'd bet most people already own. 

slow n easy

charlesn said:

tnet-primary said:

To clarify, is this version of the MagSafe charger different than the previous version?  I don’t immediately sss a delineation on the Apple Store page link above.  Normally Apple will call it “first gen” or “second gen” or show which phone models are compatible with new features.  

Just curious if I need to buy a new charger cable or use my older one with a faster brick. 

When Apple Watch moved to fast-charging, it required a new puck and, of course, a charger brick that could deliver the fast-charging wattage. The new puck was cosmetically different, so you could tell it apart from the old puck, but otherwise seemed identical to the old one. I would imagine it's going to be the same for iPhone--new puck required for fast-charging but any charger will do so long as it can deliver the fast-charging wattage. It would honestly suck if you had to buy Apple's 30W charger for this, since we're awash in excellent, inexpensive and small chargers that can deliver those watts, a product that I'd bet most people already own. 

Now I know for sure. Yes, you do need a new MagSafe puck. Only the new ones are available from Apple so there is no concern about getting the wrong one. Apple currently only sells the 20 watt power adapter, so you would actually need to get the 30 watt adapter from a 3rd party seller.

mbenz1962

slow n easy said:

 Apple currently only sells the 20 watt power adapter, so you would actually need to get the 30 watt adapter from a 3rd party seller.

Actually apple started selling this 30W charger a few years ago. After reading this support article about the Apple 35W Dual USB-C Charger, I believe that this would also enable the faster 25W charging so long as nothing else is plugged into the charger.  If there is only an Apple Watch or AirPods plugged in, it should still supply 27.5W which may enable faster charging that the 15W normal MagSafe but perhaps not the full 25W. I am hoping that AI will do a comparison on how the dual charger will handle the new MagSafe charging as Apple doesn't (yet) indicate this.

Of course, Apple also sells 70W, 96W, and 140W USB-C chargers which would all likely be compatible.