Apple's next iPhone may ship with more powerful USB-C charger

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited December 2020
Apple may finally bundle a more powerful 18-Watt USB-C wall charger with its next iPhone due this fall, according a relatively unfamiliar source.

Apple USB-C wall charger rendering


Citing sources directly within the supply chain, ChargerLab says it was able to glean new details and even alleged renderings of the European version of the iPhone charger. It'll reportedly support up to 18W of power, which means this charger could also potentially be included with next-generation iPads as well.



If the renderings prove accurate, the increase in size of the charger would mark a bit of a departure from the company's existing European design. Even if accurate, these renderings are unlikely to provide any insight into what the corresponding US model would potentially look like.

This is not the first time AppleInsider has heard rumors about Apple including a USB-C charger with the new iPhone. However, we are taking this rumor with a healthy dose of salt as ChargerLab has no past track record in predicting Apple's hardware choices -- even if they got the MFi rebranding correct in advance of the actual change.

Currently, all iPhones ship with the same small 5W USB-A power brick they have for years, even though the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X can support Fast Charging using a USB-C Lightning cable and higher watt charger.

Fast charging allows an iPhone to charge up to 50 percent within 30 minutes, and requires Apple's USB-C Lightning cable, as well as the USB-C wall charger that comes with the MacBook or MacBook Pro. This can add up to a fairly expensive purchase just to charge an iPhone faster.

Apple also doesn't yet allow third parties to manufacturer USB-C Lightning cables through their MFi certification program. If Apple does include these in the box, it also could signal they will open their MFi program to include the faster spec.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 968member
    AppleInsider said:
    Apple also doesn't yet allow third parties to manufacturer USB-C Lightning cables through their MFi certification program. 
    lord, is that why it's impossible to get a usb-c lightning keychain? Eff.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    Andrew_OSUAndrew_OSU Posts: 573member, editor
    Eric_WVGG said:
    AppleInsider said:
    Apple also doesn't yet allow third parties to manufacturer USB-C Lightning cables through their MFi certification program. 
    lord, is that why it's impossible to get a usb-c lightning keychain? Eff.
    Yup! Any third-party USB-C Lightning cable is not approved for Apple and could be using counterfeit chips or damage your phone. Chances of damage are low, but something people may not be aware of. We've been really hoping to see Apple open this up, but so far they haven't. As soon as they do, you can expect to see a huge barrage of new USB-C Lightning cables.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 11
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,142member
    About fricking time is about it. 
    DavidAlGregorynapoleon_phoneapart
  • Reply 4 of 11
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    How about iPad Pro? Are they still going to ship it with that pathetic 12w charger?
    DavidAlGregory
  • Reply 5 of 11
    DavidAlGregoryDavidAlGregory Posts: 214member
    I got tired of glacial charging my iPad Pro and bought an Anker with IQ charging. It does a better job charging everything - Apple and non Apple.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    mavemufcmavemufc Posts: 326member
    Not believing ChargerLab but I do hope this happens!
  • Reply 7 of 11
    payecopayeco Posts: 581member
    While I welcome the even quicker charging speeds I am annoyed by having to replace the $400+ dollars in “charging infrastructure” (countless USB-A cables, wall chargers, car chargers, portable batteries, etc... even a solar charger) I'm going to have to replace with the move to USB-C.

    That is the one advantage of Qualcomm’s propriety Quick Charge standard, the cables at least stayed the same.
    edited May 2018
  • Reply 8 of 11
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,316member
    payeco said:
    While I welcome the even quicker charging speeds I am annoyed by having to replace the $400+ dollars in “charging infrastructure” (countless USB-A cables, wall chargers, car chargers, portable batteries, etc... even a solar charger) I'm going to have to replace with the move to USB-C.

    That is the one advantage of Qualcomm’s propriety Quick Charge standard, the cables at least stayed the same.
    Or just keep a USB-A to lightening in your bag with the portable kit and not replace it. Use USB-C to Lightening Cable at home or work for quick charge.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 11
    jony0jony0 Posts: 378member
    I also welcome beefier chargers and I'm encouraged by ChargerLab's renderings and hope they are a harbinger to the real product. Hopefully Apple will indeed put the bulk of the girth of it in the same axis as the lugs so that 2 or more chargers can fit comfortably in consecutive outlets on a typical power bar and not render useless every other outlet. You can only fit 3 current 12W iPad chargers on a typical inline 6 outlet power bar and nothing else but the skinniest 2-prong only plugs, which also excludes any Apple 5W chargers as well.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    payecopayeco Posts: 581member
    mattinoz said:
    payeco said:
    While I welcome the even quicker charging speeds I am annoyed by having to replace the $400+ dollars in “charging infrastructure” (countless USB-A cables, wall chargers, car chargers, portable batteries, etc... even a solar charger) I'm going to have to replace with the move to USB-C.

    That is the one advantage of Qualcomm’s propriety Quick Charge standard, the cables at least stayed the same.
    Or just keep a USB-A to lightening in your bag with the portable kit and not replace it. Use USB-C to Lightening Cable at home or work for quick charge.
    That’s what I’m going to end up doing because I’m not going to shell out the money for replacements for everything right away. I actually already have an Apple USB-C to lightning cable and Anker’s 30w USB charger that I keep in my laptop bag so I can pull it out at home or wherever I am when I need the quickest charge possible. 
    edited May 2018
  • Reply 11 of 11
    inequalsinequals Posts: 17member
    this annoys me, and I had a huge Support back-and-forth over the fact that my 2015, 12.9" iPad Pro will actually run out of power, from a full battery and being connected to the supplied charger the whole time if in use. I mean, to me that's selling a product that is not fit for purpose. At one point, the nice AppleCare guy agreed, and said they'd send out the USB-C to Lightning cable and the 29W USB-C charger so I could, you know, actually use my iPad for more than a few hours at a stretch, but then they went radio silent (like a douchey boyfriend) for 6 weeks and when  I finally got to speak to them again, they more or less told me to fuck off.

    Supply your products with chargers that are powerful enough to power the products in all supported situations. For fucks' fucking sake
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