MagSafe Charger Teardown Reveals Simple Design With Magnets and Charging Coil Encircling a Small Circuit Board

iFixit has today shared a teardown of Apple's new MagSafe charger for the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro.

An X-ray of the ‌MagSafe‌ charger courtesy of Creative Electron reveals the internal charging coil surrounded by a circular arrangement of magnets within the puck.

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The only seam that iFixit was able to leverage to open the device was where the white rubber circle meets the metal rim, which was connected with a strong, heat-sensitive adhesive.

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On the underside of the white cover was an etched copper sticker that traced to four corresponding leads spaced around the outside of the charging coils. Under the coils was a shielded circuit board.

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iFixit also offered a comparison with the Apple Watch charging puck, which internally appears to be surprisingly dissimilar to ‌MagSafe‌. The main difference is the dark ring of magnets around the exterior in the ‌MagSafe‌ charger, which corresponds to magnets within the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro. The Apple Watch charger instead uses a single magnet in the center of the puck to align.

iFixit is expected to release a teardown of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro shortly.

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Top Rated Comments

ftaok Avatar
65 months ago

I loved MagSafe, but doesn't this kind of defeat a big purpose of wireless charging? Since it's held with magnets I'm going to have to grab the charger and pull it off in order to disconnect it. Isn't it more convenient to just set it down and pick it up?
This won’t work for everyone, but you could always stick the MagSafe disc onto your counter with some sticky tape or suction cups. As long as that bond is stronger than the magnetic bond on the iPhone, you’re golden.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pmas76 Avatar
65 months ago

This won’t work for everyone, but you could always stick the MagSafe disc onto your counter with some sticky tape or suction cups. As long as that bond is stronger than the magnetic bond on the iPhone, you’re golden.
I just installed a couple of these MagSafe chargers on my kitchen counter. I plugged them into my undermount cabinet electrical sockets, used clear tape to secure the wire to the backsplash and counter, and 3M double sided tissue tape to hold the charger to the countertop. Works like a charm!

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Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacBebe Avatar
65 months ago

I loved MagSafe, but doesn't this kind of defeat a big purpose of wireless charging? Since it's held with magnets I'm going to have to grab the charger and pull it off in order to disconnect it. Isn't it more convenient to just set it down and pick it up?
I think the magnet's purpose is to make sure that the device is aligned with the charger for proper charging. In my case, I find it sometimes that my iphone is not charged when I wake up in the morning.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benshive Avatar
65 months ago
I loved MagSafe, but doesn't this kind of defeat a big purpose of wireless charging? Since it's held with magnets I'm going to have to grab the charger and pull it off in order to disconnect it. Isn't it more convenient to just set it down and pick it up?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
65 months ago

I'm curious how the magnets work with the 12's internal compass, or if the 12 even has an internal compass.
They'll work fine; I have the MagSafe charger and it caused no interference with the compass on my XS.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morichan Avatar
65 months ago
Its function is already simple. Really what did you expect from wireless charger with magnets? Except higher price.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)