Apple is unlikely to allow devices like Apple Watch, AirPods, and iPhone to wirelessly charge each other "in the near future," according to Bloomberg'sMark Gurman.
In a report outlining the development of MagSafe battery accessories for the iPhone 12 lineup, Bloomberg says that Apple has "internally discussed a goal of letting many of its mobile devices like Apple Watches, AirPods, and iPhones charge each other," however, the report notes that it's unlikely to be launched in "the near future." With the launch of the iPhone 11 series in 2019, Apple was planning, but then later scrapped plans to allow the iPhone to reverse charge AirPods, according to the report.
Earlier this week, evidence discovered by MacRumors in iOS 14.5 hinted at a possible MagSafe battery accessory. Code within the beta software reads, "To improve charging efficiency and maximize available battery life, the battery pack will keep your phone charged at around 90%."
Apple has been researching the ability for devices to charge each other for some time. Patents discovered in January reveal a concept of a future MacBook wirelessly charging an iPhone or Apple Watch on either side of the trackpad. The patent envisions an ecosystem in which devices are reliant on each other for charging, and presumably syncing.
Despite the feature not being officially released, the technology itself is already available within the iPhone 12. According to FCC filings, all models in the iPhone 12 lineup have the ability to reverse charge an Apple accessory on the back. The iPhone would serve as a wireless charging pad for devices with wireless charging compatibility such as the AirPods (second generation), AirPods Pro, and the Apple Watch Series 3 and later.
In theory, Apple could enable the feature with an iOS update, although there's no indication the company will. It could be holding off on enabling the feature until it releases the newly reported MagSafe battery accessories.
That’s one feature that I really like that Samsung offers with -inverse charging-, because I personally would really like to top off my AirPods or Apple Watch from my iPhone. I don’t think it’s a ‘make it or break it’ feature that it won’t be possibly included it in the future, but it’s that one piece of technology that would be nice to have when you need it if you didn’t have access to an external charger.
But for Apple, it might be doable for a feature, but if they don’t believe that it’s 100% on par to their standards, they won’t offer it, so I understand.
Very lilely reverse charging wil be on the external MagSafe charger pack it can charge both devices. I don’t see the logic of sacrificing your main device to charge accessories.
Bloomberg, the most trustworthy news source around ?
(Jokes aside, I do kinda wish they would implement this. With how crazy good 12 Pro Max battery life is, it’d be cool to top off my AirPods/Watch with it. Alas)
I really miss not having this feature since switching to the Apple ecosystem. There have been a number of occassions when I've not had the appropriate charger with me that I realized I hadn't charged my Apple Watch up at it's sitting at 20%, or I didn't realise my Airpod case had run out of battery and my Airpods were on low charge, and I would have loved reverse charging just to give the particular peripheral a small top up to allow me to get through the day to when I would have access to the relevant charger again. It seems odd that it's not enabled if the iPhone is perfectly capable of doing it after all Apple ethos is all about providing the user with convenience and a seamless experience.
I know not everyone is me, but this seems like a silly, frivolous, feature.
Silly for at home/work, but I think back to BC (before corona) times when I would travel or go backpacking or camping. I love carrying my watch and would LOVE to not carry an add'l charger. Everyone usually has a Qi charger or lightning charger when you are out and about for charging your phone, and watches are becoming more common, but still not the same availability. I am hoping future watches move away from needing the Apple only charging solution and move to Qi or the reverse charging from the phone.
Friday October 15, 2021 1:29 pm PDT by Juli Clover
With the launch of the iPhone 12 models last year, Apple introduced a $129 MagSafe Duo Charger that's able to charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time, but it's unfortunately already outdated.
The Apple Watch Series 7 has a new fast charging feature that requires an updated charging puck, and that means the Apple Watch Series 7 does not fast charge when connected to the MagSafe...
Images of a prototype Apple MagSafe Battery Pack have today been shared online, revealing a look at the iPhone accessory from when it was in internal development.
The images, which come from Twitter account @ArchiveInternal, show a prototype version of Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack which differs from the final retail version of the Battery Pack in a number of ways. The prototype features a...
Tuesday January 18, 2022 4:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple accessory maker Mophie this week debuted its newest product, a MagSafe-Compatible 3-in-1 Travel Charger that can be purchased directly from Apple's online store.
The fold-up 3-in-1 Travel Charger has dedicated spaces for charging the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. It is listed as a MagSafe-compatible charger, but Mophie says that it's Made for MagSafe certified and is able to charge ...
Friday January 7, 2022 11:10 am PST by Juli Clover
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Satechi to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a prize pack that includes several of Satechi's newest devices. The prize pack includes a 165W USB-C 4-Port PD GaN Charger, 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger, 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand, and a $200 gift card so you can also choose some Satechi accessories yourself....
Amazon today has Apple's AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case for $174.98, down from $249.00. This price is a match of the 2022 low price on the AirPods Pro, and overall it's the second-best price we've ever tracked.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The...
Apple plans to include a "slightly bigger" wireless charging coil in this year's iPhone 13 lineup, which will not only yield improved heat management and higher wattage, but could be paving the way towards reverse wireless charging, according to a new rumor from Max Weinbach (via EverythingApplePro).
Image Credit: EverythingApplePro According to the rumor, Apple plans to make the physical...
Monday October 18, 2021 1:40 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today updated the AirPods lineup with the AirPods 3, which feature an AirPods Pro-like design featuring shorter stems, spatial audio support, Adaptive EQ, longer battery life, HD voice quality for FaceTime, IPX4 water resistance, a MagSafe case, and more.
The new AirPods are priced starting at $179, which is $20 cheaper than the prior AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, and Apple is ...
Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro could arrive alongside a new series of accessories, recent leaked images suggest.
Alleged leaked photos of the next-generation AirPods Pro obtained by MacRumors showed a charging case with a metal loop on the side for attaching a strap. Apple has not used this design for any of its other AirPod models and it is unclear why it would be added in this...
The redesigned MacBook Air with the all-new M2 Apple silicon chip will be available for customers starting Friday, July 15, MacRumors has learned from a retail source. The new MacBook Air was announced and previewed during WWDC earlier this month, with Apple stating availability will begin in July. The MacBook Air features a redesigned body that is thinner and lighter than the previous...
Fifteen years ago to this day, the iPhone, the revolutionary device presented to the world by the late Steve Jobs, officially went on sale.
The first iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, and went on sale on June 29, 2007. "An iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator... these are not three separate devices," Jobs famously said. "Today, Apple is going to reinvent the...
Apple last week launched an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and it is the first Mac that is equipped with an updated M2 chip. As it's using a brand new chip, we thought we'd pick up the M2 MacBook Pro and compare it to the prior-generation M1 MacBook Pro to see just what's new.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. For the video comparison, we're using the...
The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern today shared a new documentary about the evolution of the iPhone ahead of the 15th anniversary of the device launching on June 29, 2007. The documentary includes an interview with Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak, iPhone co-creator Tony Fadell, and a family of iPhone users.
One segment of the interview reflects on Android smartphones gaining larger...
With many customers choosing to upgrade their iPhone every two or three years nowadays, there are lots of iPhone 11 Pro users who might be interested in upgrading to the iPhone 14 Pro later this year. Those people are in for a treat, as three years of iPhone generations equals a long list of new features and changes to look forward to.
Below, we've put together a list of new features and...
Apple today began selling refurbished Mac Studio models for the first time in the United States, Canada, and select European countries, such as Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, two refurbished Mac Studio configurations are currently available, including one with the M1 Max chip (10-core CPU and 24-core GPU) for...
Tuesday November 28, 2017 12:33 pm PST by Juli Clover
There appears to be a serious bug in macOS High Sierra that enables the root superuser on a Mac with a blank password and no security check. The bug, discovered by developer Lemi Ergin, lets anyone log into an admin account using the username "root" with no password. This works when attempting to access an administrator's account on an unlocked Mac, and it also provides access at the login...
Apple on May 16 released iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, bringing improvements for Podcasts and Apple Cash, the ability to see Wi-Fi signal of HomePods, dozens of security fixes, and more.
Top Rated Comments
But for Apple, it might be doable for a feature, but if they don’t believe that it’s 100% on par to their standards, they won’t offer it, so I understand.
(Jokes aside, I do kinda wish they would implement this. With how crazy good 12 Pro Max battery life is, it’d be cool to top off my AirPods/Watch with it. Alas)
Everyone usually has a Qi charger or lightning charger when you are out and about for charging your phone, and watches are becoming more common, but still not the same availability. I am hoping future watches move away from needing the Apple only charging solution and move to Qi or the reverse charging from the phone.