Apple Confirms 29W Power Adapter Incompatible With MagSafe Duo Charger

[davidjschloss]

Why’s this only being said now? Did they really not know prior to launch?

The Duo should have come with a power adapter - simple.

Or at least two SKUs, one with a brick, one without. Or they could do what Anker and every other charging company that needs high capacity does, make it a wired power transformer. If I"m plugging it in anyhow, I don't care if it's USB C or a transformer.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Well I suppose they could have alleviated these type of issues by INCLUDING A 5¢ charger with a $129 device that REQUIRES a charger.

Do you really think chargers cost that little?

 

[Iconoclysm]

I do... if the stupid thing had USB-C instead of lightening.

How would that affect the power brick?

 

[DiamondarBoss]

Every Watt Counts.


Every Watt Matters.



#IWillWatt2020

 

[VictorTango777]

The USB PD committee is going to need to come up with some sort of color coding or alphabet scheme to help people understand all the permutations... All of these different voltage/current options is going to really become a problem.

Instead of a bunch of discrete voltage/current pairs that have to be programmed into each charger, why doesn’t the USB PD standard just support a continuous range?

 

[gaximus]

Why’s this only being said now? Did they really not know prior to launch?

The Duo should have come with a power adapter - simple.

I agree. The iPhone didn't need one, but a charger should come with the ability to charge.

 

[yoheywut]

Can someone confirm that this means the 20watt charger will only get you 11W of power? And you need the 30w to get the full 14w?

 

[KayEm6419]

Can someone confirm that this means the 20watt charger will only get you 11W of power? And you need the 30w to get the full 14w?

Yes: How to use your MagSafe Duo Charger with iPhone 12 Models and Apple Watch


The MagSafe Duo Charger requires the following ratings to deliver faster wireless charging:

• USB-C connector (USB-A is not supported)
• 9V/2.22A power adapter provides up to 11W of power
• 9V/3A and higher power adapter provides up to 14W of power
• iPhone 12 mini can get up to 12W for faster wireless charging with at least 9V/2.62A
• Higher wattage adapters at or above 9V/3A will also deliver a maximum of up to 14W peak power to iPhone 12

 

[Analog Kid]

Instead of a bunch of discrete voltage/current pairs that have to be programmed into each charger, why doesn’t the USB PD standard just support a continuous range?

The currents are specified as ranges. Voltages are discrete. Power is binned.

The problem is you can’t be universal and simple. If you‘re trying to supply power to everything from a watch to a laptop while maintaining any sort of cross revision compatibility and without requiring the watch charger to cost the same as the laptop supply, it gets complex to manage.

Case in point: the spec is 670 pages long.

 

[MJedi]

This explains, in an indirect way, why my 29W Apple Charger only charges my iPhone 12 Pro through MagSafe at around 5 Watts.

 

[MilaM]

What about the 18W charger that came with the 2018 iPad Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro? The small print on the charger says 5V/3A and 9V/2A. Is that one "vintage" as well?

EDIT: European version.

 

[Tech198]

The USB PD committee is going to need to come up with some sort of color coding or alphabet scheme to help people understand all the permutations... All of these different voltage/current options is going to really become a problem.

I think it already is one.

 

[Brien]

USB PD 3.3 Gen 2 Type 4

This will soon be followed by the release of a new 220 page “For Dummies” book titled, “Understanding USB Branding Nomenclature”

USB has become such a mess. PD, speed, etc.

 

[AppleWes]

*

I get that some people may like it, but MagSafe to me will go down as one of the most useless products Apple has ever invented. Literally replacing a wire with a different wire and calling it "WIRELESS." Ridiculous.

This is what always confused me. I tried MagSafe charger and I like the connection to phone (so I know in correct spot), but pointless since you lift the phone and charger is attached. No different than connecting lightning cable.

 

[The Game 161]

What about the 18W charger that came with the 2018 iPad Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro? The small print on the charger says 5V/3A and 9V/2A. Is that one "vintage" as well?

EDIT: European version.

That charger works well it’s the one I use

 

[ouimetnick]

It seems that current shipping iPad Pro models now include a 20W adapter. Doesn’t make sense to manufacture both.

 

[miniyou64]

Do you really think chargers cost that little?

At scale. Yes

 

[Iconoclysm]

At scale. Yes

Then you're wrong. The added weight and box size to ship these things alone costs more than your assumption.