MagSafe Charging Port for iPhone Appears in Apple Patent

In a newly granted patent, Apple envisions a type of connectivity port using an iteration of its magnetic MagSafe charger to charge an iPhone, potentially paving the way for a future without Lightning.

Screen Shot 2021 03 03 at 11
Submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday (via Patently Apple), the patent outlines a three-pinned ‌MagSafe‌ charger, similar to the ones found in older MacBook computers. Apple discusses multiple different pin designs that would connect the charger to the device. The patent shows a pin that is more round in one image, while another shows a more flat-surface design.

The patent itself doesn't mention or reference an ‌iPhone‌ by name, but an image in the filing depicts what seems to be the bottom of an ‌iPhone‌ with the ‌MagSafe‌ charger concept. Compared to the current Lightning port on the ‌iPhone‌, ‌MagSafe‌ has its advantages. Based on a set of magnets, ‌MagSafe‌ allows the device to easily detach from the charger if it gets tripped on or yanked.

Screen Shot 2021 03 03 at 11
With the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, Apple reintroduced ‌MagSafe‌ in the form of large circular magnets on the back of the device. Currently, Apple is marketing ‌MagSafe‌ on the ‌iPhone‌ as a place to charge and attach various accessories.

The patent could entail Apple's long-term vision of turning the current ‌MagSafe‌ charge on the back of the device as a place for accessories, such as a battery pack, and leave the magnetic ‌MagSafe‌ charger on the bottom in place to charge the ‌iPhone‌. Implementing the concept on a lighter-weight device like an ‌iPhone‌ would presumably require a detaching mechanism using weaker magnets with more give.

This week, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo poured cold water on hopes that Apple would switch the ‌iPhone‌ to a USB-C connector anytime soon. Kuo states that USB-C has lower specifications compared to Lightning and ‌MagSafe‌. Kuo specifically says that if an ‌iPhone‌ in the future abandons Lighting, it would immediately adopt a portless design with ‌MagSafe‌.

Apple is expected to bring ‌MagSafe‌ back to the Mac, according to both Bloomberg and Kuo. The version of ‌MagSafe‌ expected to debut in the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will likely feature a similar design to previous iterations and offer faster-charging speeds. Learn more about ‌MagSafe‌'s history and potential future uses in our comprehensive MagSafe guide.

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Top Rated Comments

Michael Scrip Avatar
57 months ago
I like the idea in the first image.

If this MagSafe concept gets implemented across all of Apple's product lines... we can finally use the same magnetic cable to charge an iPhone and a Macbook. And an iPad and whatever else.

It makes this look ridiculous by comparison:



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Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
57 months ago
Now this is what I want on my MacBook!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Souponastick270 Avatar
57 months ago
This! I could get behind this, way better than the portless idea
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CJM Avatar
57 months ago
Would've been useful like 5 years ago, at this point it's just not needed when the move should be to USB-C.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LFC2020 Avatar
57 months ago

Would've been useful like 5 years ago, at this point it's just not needed when the move should be to USB-C.
Usb c will never happen on a iPhone, knowing apple they’ll go port less instead of adding usb c.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
57 months ago
They sell USB to lightning cables with a magnetic coupler on Amazon. I thought it was silly at first but I can’t imagine not having one now and I use them on all of my headphones now

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Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)