Qi 2.2 is coming to iPhone with faster charging -- here's what you need to know
Get ready for faster charging as Qi 2.2.1 is coming to iPhone. Here's what we know so far about the upcoming wireless charging standard.
You will soon be able to use many, faster, third-party chargers with your iPhone 16
After being unofficial for most of 2025, the Wireless Power Consortium -- or WPC -- made Qi 2.2.1 official in late July. The standard is poised to increase adoption of the magnetic connection pioneered by Apple.
As of mid-August, there are still no Qi 2.2.1 devices on the market. Based on conversations we've had with vendors, that is about to change.
What we know about Qi 2.2.1
Qi 2.2.1 is the latest version of the popular open wireless charging standard. Unlike MagSafe, that is Apple-specific, Qi can be used by any accessory or device maker.
Apple makes the only 25W iPhone compatible magnetic charger so far
The biggest upgrade will be improved charging speed, boosting it from 15W to 25W on supported devices. That's almost a 70% increase in performance under ideal conditions.
It also includes greater efficiency, better heat management, and better alignment. Most of the improvements come thanks to Apple's MagSafe, which Qi 2 is based on.
Anker's upcoming Qi 2.2.1 charging tree that was previewed
In July, the WPC said 14 devices had already passed testing and there are hundreds of other accessories and phones in the queue to support it. Anker, Aukey, Scosche, Belkin, Ugreen, and others have demonstrated their upcoming devices.
Old misinformation
Early in 2025, rumors had swirled about the next generation of charging. Much of this turned out to be mistaken.
We saw an updated MagSafe charger pass regulatory filings that claimed it would be as high as 45W.
Old rumors said Qi 2.2 would be 45W, but it is only 25W and based again on Apple's updated MagSafe puck
Now, we know that the 45W claim was a mistranslation. Apple may launch faster charging with the iPhone 17, but there are currently no concrete rumors to support that.
Despite these early rumors, Qi 2.2.1 is only 25W. This makes it the same as Apple's updated MagSafe puck that launched in the fall of 2024 with the iPhone 16 series.
Qi 2.2.1 supported devices
The ultimate question will be which devices support Qi 2.2.1. After discussions with nearly a dozen accessory manufacturers, many of which have impending Qi2 products ready to launch, AppleInsider has learned that all iPhone 16 models support the new standard.
Full support was added in iOS 26 beta 4.
Apple's iPhone 16 MagSafe charger was the basis for the new Qi 2.2.1 standard
With iOS 26 set to fully release along the iPhone 17, this seems likely to be when Apple officially certifies the entirety of the iPhone 16 line as well. That makes the rollout similar to when Apple retroactively updated iPhone 12 and later with Qi2 support after launch.
It's also possible that Apple may release a new firmware update, such as iOS 18.7, with Qi 2.2.1 support, too. Currently, Apple has not released a new beta for iOS 18 after its last launch of iOS 18.6, so it's impossible to know right now.
Apple is rumored to be adding vapor chamber cooling to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, which could lead to even better wireless charging performance.
Regardless, with Qi 2.2.1 official, it's only a matter of time before Apple officially adopts it as well. This will open up a world of faster, 25W charging cables and stands to Apple users, outside of Apple's single MagSafe cable.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Wireless charging makes sense in some cases but I'll take the reliability and efficiency of corded charging any day.