Apple increased the maximum wireless charging power to 15 watts with the release of the iPhone 12, but there was a catch: only MagSafe chargers bearing the Apple logo could use the increased power. Users are currently receiving an unexpected update. According to MacWorld, the most recent iOS 17.4 release now permits third-party Qi2 chargers to charge at the maximum rated 15 watts of power as well.
With iOS 17.2, Apple added Qi2 15 watt wireless charging capability for the iPhone 13 and 14, and the iPhone 15 was the first device to implement the standard. As Apple is a “steering member” and the chair of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) board of directors, it is actually based on Apple’s MagSafe technology.
When the iPhone 12 came along in October 2020, however, Qi2 didn’t exist and the WPC’s original Qi standard was limited to 7.5 watts. Since the iPhone 12 used MagSafe, it was apparently able to support Qi2 and its higher max charging capability.
Apple has yet to officially comment on this change. However, Macworld tested the iPhone 12 with Qi2 devices and found that they match the charging speeds of official MagSafe chargers.
Charger manufacturer Belkin also stated that its Qi2 chargers “are fully certified to deliver up to 15 watts of fast wireless charging to Qi2-enalbed devices,” while referring any other questions to Apple. With the change, all MagSafe iPhones now support Qi2 charging.
Apple’s move to support Qi2 with its iPhone lineup was a bit of a surprise, considering it tends to favor in-house proprietary solutions. It may have been done to fend off regulators, as the EU had already forced it to switch to USB-C charging to avoid wasteful multiple standards.
