MagSafe Duo Charger video shows off accessory ahead of release

AppleInsider · November 7, 2020 5:37PM

A video has surfaced that allegedly shows a MagSafe Duo Charger being used, in what could be the first hands-on video for the accessory ahead of its official release.

Apple MagSafe Duo Charger

On Friday, Apple updated its websitewith listings for a number of accessories, including the MagSafe Duo Charger. While shown in the store, the charger, which can be used to recharge the iPhone 12 as well as the Apple Watch, are listed as "coming soon" and lack an official release date.

A video published to YouTube on Friday titled "Apple Magsafe Duo Charger Hand On" appears to show the accessory being opened up and used by an unknown person. The account, "Daily Use OS," has previously published unboxing videos and other MagSafe-connected items, but seems to be the only one to have done so for the MagSafe Duo Charger.

The video guides the viewer through the unfolding of the charger, as well as showing how the Apple Watch charging element can be pushed up from the back of the panel to be used in nightstand mode. The movable puck can also be lowered to charge the Apple Watch while flat.

While the video doesn't offer much in the way of new information, with its functionality previously revealed by Apple itself in its introduction at the October iPhone event, it does at least indicate the MagSafe Duo Charger will be relatively light to carry. The person holding it has little trouble moving it around with their fingers, and though it is magnetically held closed when folded, there's not much resistance when unfolding it for use.

Apple has priced the MagSafe Duo Charger at $129, but the release date is still largely unknown. It is likely to be within weeks, given the online Apple Store listing and the early November approval of the accessory by Korean regulators.

shapeshiftingfish · November 7, 2020 6:32PM

Does it charge the AirPods placed on the left segment?

wonkothesane · November 7, 2020 8:16PM

I still would prefer the separate MagSafe for the iPhone. The simple reason being that MagSafe somehow is the „best of both worlds“ to me: you can lazily put the phone down for charging and it snaps into position, so no fiddling in half dark to find the always gone cable and then finding the position for plugging it in (e.g. when going to sleep). At the same time you can still read and charge at the same time, which charging mata make impossible to do.

mike1 · November 7, 2020 11:27PM

Perfect travel accessory.

canucklehead · November 8, 2020 2:20AM

ShapeshiftingFish said:

Does it charge the AirPods placed on the left segment?

Yes, just like any other Qi wireless charging pad

urahara · November 8, 2020 6:29AM

mike1 said:

Perfect travel accessory.

I would take cables for traveling to save weight and space in my bag.

rayz2016 · November 8, 2020 7:01AM

urahara said:

mike1 said:

Perfect travel accessory.

I would take cables for traveling to save weight and space in my bag.

I would take this as it’s more convenient to charge the phone and watch from a single point. And your second cable has a charging pad on the end anyway.

This seems a lot smaller than the AirPower, though you won’t be able to charge AirPods at the same time.

entropys · November 8, 2020 9:53AM

At $129 without a 20W brick and cable it is quite excessively priced, a bit of a laugh really.

When you consider a HomePod mini is $99...it puts an interesting perspective on it doesn’t it.

ofer · November 8, 2020 3:20PM

entropys said:

At $129 without a 20W brick and cable it is quite excessively priced, a bit of a laugh really.

When you consider a HomePod mini is $99...it puts an interesting perspective on it doesn’t it.

Agreed. That was my first response as well. I know Apple tends to charge a premium on their products, but this is ridiculous. This is overpriced even for Apple.

larryjw · November 8, 2020 3:21PM

It's definitely overpriced. $99 would make more sense.

I recently put out $70 for the Mophie 3-in-1 and took in back the next day.

Laid out the Apple Watch, the iPhone 11 Pro and AirPods. No charging. Checking the specs, it seemed to say it put out only 7.5W
.
Had my AirPods Pro on this charger all alone overnight and the case charged to only 88%.

What can I say. I'm willing spend on stuff that works; I'm not willing to save money by buying stuff that doesn't work.

entropys · November 8, 2020 7:58PM

Initially when I found out the priced I just laughed.
now it is annoying and having me start to think about reducing my exposure to the ecosystem.
It doesn’t come with a 20W charger. You have to buy that. If you use one of the drawer full of 5W chargers we are all supposed to have it probably won’t get enough juice to work, or at best charge at a glacial pace.

And a glacial pace to charging is not what you want when travelling, which is clearly the purpose of this product. In fact more I think about it wired charging is probably more sensible when travelling to max the charging speed. And this pad is extra to the wall charger and the cable anyway, nixing the portability argument.

And if I am having to get a charger for travel anyway, might as well go all out and get a multi port one like that $79 108W satechi wall charger and just carry four cables so I can charge my laptop, phone, airpods and watch all at once, as quickly as possible.

so the options are:
Apple MagSafe duo charger $129; Apple 20W wall charger $19 total $148 to charge iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time
108W satechi wall charger $79 able to charge MBP, iPhone, airpods, Apple Watch. And will charge the lot faster. Hmmm.

edited November 2020

strangedays · November 8, 2020 8:02PM

urahara said:

mike1 said:

Perfect travel accessory.

I would take cables for traveling to save weight and space in my bag.

I dunno about mass, but multiple wall plugs and cables is a PITA when I travel. I like the idea of one plug, one cable, one dock.

strangedays · November 8, 2020 8:07PM

entropys said:

Initially when I found out the priced I just laughed.
now it is annoying and having me start to think about reducing my exposure to the ecosystem.
It doesn’t come with a 20W charger. You have to buy that. If you use one of the drawer full of 5W chargers we are all supposed to have it probably won’t get enough juice to work, or at best charge at a glacial pace.
And a glacial pace to charging is not what you want when travelling, which is clearly the purpose of this product. In fact more I think about it wired charging is probably more sensible to max the charging speed. And this pad is extra to the wall charger and the cable anyway, nixing the portability argument.

And if I am having to get a charger for travel anyway, might as well go all out and get a multi port one like that $79 108W satechi wall charger and just carry four cables so I can charge my laptop, phone, airpods and watch all at once, as quickly as possible.

I always get a kick out of people threatening to quit Apple on fan forums. "I wish I could quit you!"

As for price, I can't speak for everybody but there is certainly a contingent of Apple customers who are not price sensitive and just want something that works well and are willing to pay a premium for it. That's been part of the MO for Apple as long as I can remember. A high-end car doesn't get you to the grocery store any better than a cheap car, but some people just like the whole package better, and have the disposable income to make that choice. That's great. Are there other options for price-sensitive customers? Yep, and that's great too. The world turns.

rayz2016 · November 9, 2020 6:57AM

StrangeDays said:

entropys said:

Initially when I found out the priced I just laughed.
now it is annoying and having me start to think about reducing my exposure to the ecosystem.
It doesn’t come with a 20W charger. You have to buy that. If you use one of the drawer full of 5W chargers we are all supposed to have it probably won’t get enough juice to work, or at best charge at a glacial pace.
And a glacial pace to charging is not what you want when travelling, which is clearly the purpose of this product. In fact more I think about it wired charging is probably more sensible to max the charging speed. And this pad is extra to the wall charger and the cable anyway, nixing the portability argument.

And if I am having to get a charger for travel anyway, might as well go all out and get a multi port one like that $79 108W satechi wall charger and just carry four cables so I can charge my laptop, phone, airpods and watch all at once, as quickly as possible.

I always get a kick out of people threatening to quit Apple on fan forums. "I wish I could quit you!"

As for price, I can't speak for everybody but there is certainly a contingent of Apple customers who are not price sensitive and just want something that works well and are willing to pay a premium for it. That's been part of the MO for Apple as long as I can remember. A high-end car doesn't get you to the grocery store any better than a cheap car, but some people just like the whole package better, and have the disposable income to make that choice. That's great. Are there other options for price-sensitive customers? Yep, and that's great too. The world turns.

Very true, and is probably why I have a restraining order to stop me running into Porsche showrooms, screaming ‘I’m not buying this!’, then running out again.

larryjw · November 9, 2020 2:30PM

entropys said:

Initially when I found out the priced I just laughed.
now it is annoying and having me start to think about reducing my exposure to the ecosystem.
It doesn’t come with a 20W charger. You have to buy that. If you use one of the drawer full of 5W chargers we are all supposed to have it probably won’t get enough juice to work, or at best charge at a glacial pace.
And a glacial pace to charging is not what you want when travelling, which is clearly the purpose of this product. In fact more I think about it wired charging is probably more sensible when travelling to max the charging speed. And this pad is extra to the wall charger and the cable anyway, nixing the portability argument.

And if I am having to get a charger for travel anyway, might as well go all out and get a multi port one like that $79 108W satechi wall charger and just carry four cables so I can charge my laptop, phone, airpods and watch all at once, as quickly as possible.

so the options are:
Apple MagSafe duo charger $129; Apple 20W wall charger $19 total $148 to charge iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time
108W satechi wall charger $79 able to charge MBP, iPhone, airpods, Apple Watch. And will charge the lot faster. Hmmm.

Who doesn't own a 20W charger these days. My guess is the only outlay for the Apple charger for most will be the $129 -- expensive as that is.

fallenjt · November 9, 2020 4:33PM

I have this at home and it charges fine for new iPhone. MagSafe duo us good for travel but it seriously is overpriced!

MagSafe Duo Charger video shows off accessory ahead of release

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