iPhone 17 Pro May Be Able to Wirelessly Charge AirPods, Apple Watch

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Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models could include a reverse wireless charging feature making them capable of delivering power to other Apple devices, according to the Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital.

iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1
The Chinese leaker says that Apple has tested reverse wireless charging for the company's new high-end smartphones, but whether the feature is actually enabled when the devices launch next month remains to be seen.

This is the second time we've heard about the feature potentially coming to new iPhones this year. In February, Weibo leaker Instant Digital claimed that Apple had been testing 7.5W reverse wireless charging for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, saying it could be used to charge other Apple accessories like AirPods, Apple Watch, or potentially an upcoming MagSafe Battery Pack.

Long-running rumors of iPhone reverse wireless charging capabilities finally came to fruition in 2021 – albeit in a limited way – when Apple released the MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 and newer models. When attached to an ‌iPhone‌ that was charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ could deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which was the first instance of an ‌iPhone‌ being able to route power to an accessory device.

Apple discontinued the MagSafe Battery Pack in September 2023 with the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup, which dropped the Lightning cable in favor of USB-C. iPhone 15 and later models can reverse charge Apple Watch, AirPods, and other smaller devices that support Power Delivery at up to 4.5 watts via the USB-C port, but the wireless reverse charging feature for Apple devices has not been implemented since the discontinuation of the MagSafe Battery Pack.

In 2022, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that a relaunched MagSafe Battery Pack would eventually transition to USB-C, but that has yet to happen. Likewise, In September 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said he expected USB-C versions of the MagSafe Battery Pack to return "eventually." But he qualified that by saying "Don't hold your breath."

All will be revealed when Apple releases its iPhone 17 lineup around mid-September, with an iPhone event rumored to be taking place on Tuesday, September 9. Would you welcome a reverse wireless charging feature? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro
Tag: Fixed Focus Digital
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

BelgianChoklit Avatar
BelgianChoklit
25 weeks ago
I think this was rumored ever since the iPhone 11 Pro
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
Ael_MR
25 weeks ago
Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
JulianL
25 weeks ago

Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
You might not know anyone personally who wants this but I suspect I'm not the only one on this forum who genuinely has been hoping for this for a long time now - ever since I got my first Apple Watch with Series 5.

It's not a massive game changer but it would make things just that bit more convenient for me when travelling, which I do quite a lot. Instead of having to pack the Apple charging puck + cable I could simply put the Watch on top of my iPhone when it is charging. I travel with a very compact 2-port universal USB charger so it would also be a nice convenience to be able to charge two things at once off a single USB port, that then leaves the other port free for either my iPad or my earbuds without my also having to schedule in my Apple Watch charging somewhere in the cycle.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
abcmax
25 weeks ago
iPhones meant to support reverse wireless charging since iPhone 11 Pro:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2019/09/15/apple-iphone-11-pro-max-upgrade-reverse-wireless-charging-update/

iPhone 12 as well:
https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_12series_might_have_a_reverse_wireless_charging-news-46006.php

iPhone 13:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/07/04/larger-iphone-13-charging-coils-could-enable-reverse-wireless-charging

iPhone 15:
https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/apple-iphone-15-reverse-wireless-charging-i-dont-care-why/

Reverse wireless charging in iPhone 17 Pro is just an another episode in this series. And you know what? One day it will probably become a reality, regardless of the rumors ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
R
robvalentine
25 weeks ago

Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
And the Pixel 10 removes it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bradman83 Avatar
bradman83
25 weeks ago
For all of the features Apple has added to preserve battery cycle endurance, like 80% charging caps and smart time of use charging, this seems like a backwards step that will just add more wear to the phone's battery, not less.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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