Apple Reportedly Questioning Whether iPhone Should Drop MagSafe

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

IMO, If we were to get reverse wireless charging in return for MagSafe, that’d be fine by me

That would still need the coils, right?

Anyways, went from old iPhones (last was 8 plus) to 12 pro to 14 max to 16 max…never used MagSafe once, axe it idc

Yo what? MagSafe is literally one of my must haves in a phone now, I could never go back to not having it.

And Apple helped usher the new standard charger form factor to the world, now that Qi2 is the new standard and uses the same magnet arrangement, everyone gets to benefit from how easy and smooth it is. Why would you go back?

Wallets, batteries, night stand mounts, car mounts, bicycle mounts, heck, even tiny e-book readers are all designed to snap onto an iPhone now - why through that away?

I def can’t see them taking it completely away, at the very least just non pros…but still I’d be real surprised either way…Apple leads the wireless charge (pun intended) from qi standards to AirPods and no more headphone jack…this would be a massive reversal, I just don’t see it going completely away…

 

[zachz]

It's been popular enough that other manufactures have adapted it in their phones, and there are many good uses for it outside of charging. Most probably use a MagSafe case anyway, but it is still nice to have without needing the case or an ugly sticker.

 

[code-m]

Customers invested in the MagSafe ecosystem questioning whether they should drop Apple from their next potential phone purchase list.

Those customer will survive just like their did with purchasing new cases when iPhone’s dimensions changed or when the move from 30-pin connector to Lightening to USB-C. The initial complaint period is expected after it will be accepted with some disgruntled feelings.

 

[ort888]

Everyone in my family LOVES MagSafe. It's one of the best new iPhone additions in recent years... (5 or 6 years now, maybe not so recent, but whatevs)

 

[gaximus]

How many of you are really sitting there, thinking, man I really wish I could use some of this precious iPhone battery to charge something else. At a much lower efficiency, like lose 30% of my battery to give 15% of it to another device?

 

[IIGS User]

Magsafe is non-negotiable. It's just like CarPlay: if a manufacturer omits, I don't buy!

This.

I won’t buy a car without CarPlay. I use MagSafe every day between my desk and the slim wallet I have attached to my phone.

Don’t mess this up, like you messed up removing MagSafe from the MBP, Apple.

Just don’t do it.

 

[boswald]

This would be a monumentally stupid decision, in my opinion.

 

[pbau]

Terrible idea.

 

[keksikuningas]

How do you keep your AW AOD on while it's on the charger?

Does your AW not show you the time when you put it on charge? It always did for me

 

[JosephAW]

Never used MagSafe on any of my devices except on the computer and aw.
Do use qi chargers in my car.
Possibly the fold ultra can’t implement something like this or going to completely sealed devices with new wireless charging schemes might be the direction they’re headed.
It’ll be interesting to see how newer smaller devices can be charged. 🤔

 

[DaveMcM76]

Isn’t Magsafe now part of the Qi2 charging standard? So are they just considering dropping the branding rather than the functionality?

 

[Mr_Ed]

No great loss for me. I do have an old wireless charger but I primarily use it when charging at night anyway. Don’t care how long it takes. The magnetic attachment is cool, but hardly essential.

 

[Wx_Man]

Tim Apple’s last decision before walking out the door in September….

“Let’s make MagSafe part of an Apple One subscription.”

 

[ghostface147]

MagSafe is a great feature. The ecosystem is very strong. You will have to pry it from my room temperature dead hands.

 

[NeXTCube]

It's interesting how some features are must-have for some, and not of interest to others - I know lots of people love MagSafe for the laptop and don't care about it on the phone; I'd rather have another USB-C port than the MagSafe port - I can use a regular USB-C cable to charge the MacBook, iPad, iPhone, AirPods Pro, mirrorless camera, action camera, power bank, etc. MagSafe on the laptop doesn't seem to add as much value, since all it does is provide a charging port.

For me - I don't use MagSafe on my laptop, but love having it on my phone. I have a MagSafe phone holder/charger for my car and it's super-convenient to be able to just 'snap' it onto the pad when I get in the car. Everyone has different use cases; the question for Apple product designers is always, 'how many of those use cases does it make sense to cover?" Had a similar debate with someone recently over the MacBook Pro SD card slot vs MagSafe vs another USB-C port. I prefer to keep the SD, the other person preferred to keep MagSafe - but we both wanted another USB-C port. 🙂

 

[gaximus]

Those customer will survive just like their did with purchasing new cases when iPhone’s dimensions changed or when the move from 30-pin connector to Lightening to USB-C. The initial complaint period is expected after it will be accepted with some disgruntled feelings.

This was a huge decision for apple that they debated for years and didn't want to do, but had to for a much better technology. And every one agreed that lightning was way better than 30-pin, just upset that they had to replace their accessories. What tech will they replace it with that is better? Thinness? iPhone Air has proved that customers will choose many other priorities over thinness. I say this as an iPhone Air user that loves the Air(But due to the battery being smaller and having to charge it a lot, I would not have it without MagSafe, being able to snap it to my desk, and car, or a quick battery pack charge up, make it something I don't even think about)

 

[johnsawyercjs]

If Apple keeps removing features to achieve some cost savings, it won't be long before the iPhone tier is reduced to two devices: a literal brick, and a phone that costs as much as a used car.

 

[macbookj0e]

Wireless charging is super inefficient and it costs you a good 30% extra v’s wired. (If my memory has remembered that correctly lol)

Having said that I do love my MagSafe car mount and would hate to have to go back to clipping it in!

 

[roncron]

Is this a very bad (and very late) April Fools joke?

I use a magsafe dash mount in my car, magsafe charging stands in three locations, a magsafe bike handlebar mount, and occasionally a magsafe wallet.

If Apple stops including magsafe in future iPhones, I will stop upgrading every 1 or 2 years, and just keep my 17 Pro as long as possible.

My 83-year-old parents are about as novice iPhone users as you can get, but even they have come to depend on magsafe accessories nearly as much as I have.

I'm too invested in the apple ecosystem to defect to Android. But if they do this, I will be a disgruntled Apple user and will upgrade my gear a lot less often.

 

[McWetty]

In no way is this a good idea. I love MagSafe for the accessories. Non negotiable unless they replace it with something better.

 

[Populus]

While I don’t, and have never used wireless charging, I am more and more convinced that there’s not a better time to purchase your next iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any electronics whatsoever, than today. I think we’ll start seeing important price increases or cost cutting measures as soon as September

It’s clear the tech companies, and Apple in particular, are keen on reducing the BOM by a lot, and that means that probably the next generation of devices will have downgrades in many areas: displays, now MagSafe, maybe cheaper NAND… all because of the huge price increase of memory and SSDs

 

[Mr_Ed]

Isn’t Magsafe now part of the Qi2 charging standard? So are they just considering dropping the branding rather than the functionality?

I think it’s optional anyway in the standard.

 

[dingle19]

Excuse me, how else am I going to temporarily place my phone on the side of my car while im fumbling with loading/unloading from the vehicle???

 

[vantelimus]

Because while the majority of people who use magsafe probably use it daily, the number of people who use magsafe overall is probably rather low. By removing the magnets from the phone, you can save a lot of money in the BOM. This is ******tification at its finest.

Anyway. Since this leak is probably market research. Let me say, I love magsafe, and would find its removal to be detrimental to my experience.

I was thinking something similar. So, I looked up the cost of the magnets in bulk and they don't really cost very much. The magnets and induction coils for MagSafe likely add only about $5 to the BOM. But, if we take your assumption that few people use MagSafe, then you can see why an MBA analysis would jettison it.

 

[Ctrlos]

Given how weak the internal magnets are is it such a bad idea? I imagine most people use a case anyway which afford stronger magnets in the process.

Personally I'd be in favour of them dropping wireless charging too and giving us an all-metal chassis. It would be lighter and more durable.