Flojomojo
macrumors regular
I believe the glass back isn't there for wireless charging, it's for radio transparency so you can use wireless networks and make phone calls.
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Apple Reportedly Questioning Whether iPhone Should Drop MagSafe
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Magsafe is the best feature of the iphone... how did removing magsafe from the macbooks go?
spiral90210
macrumors newbie
I'd be raging if they removed it - don't like the bulk a case adds, and attach my wallet to the phone going out, and to a car mount when driving, plus magsafe battery packs meaning cables don't get caught up in pockets when I need a charger.
Counteroffer: instead of removing MagSafe from the iPhones, why don’t they add MagSafe to the iPad mini?
I use the iPad mini in a MagSafe-compatible case and it makes mounting it (on the dash, on the Peloton, etc,) very convenient.
I use the iPad mini in a MagSafe-compatible case and it makes mounting it (on the dash, on the Peloton, etc,) very convenient.
Dj64Mk7
macrumors 65816
It’s an understood brand at this point. Personally, I look for MagSafe in product listings (as opposed to magnetic or qi or wireless charging) as a seal of quality almost.
I don’t have a MagSafe charger, but I do have accessories that keep my phone securely in place. An iPhone without MagSafe isn’t an option for me as I don’t use case so often.
I want MagSafe on my iPad mini. I definitely do not want to see it removed from my iPhone. And I don’t have high confidence that without MagSafe support on the phone itself, case manufacturers would be incentivized to continue supporting it in their cases in the very precise “it almost always just works” way that they do now. Maybe I’m wrong but that would be my concern in simply moving it to case support.
Is all of this a response to the ram/nand shortage? I would hope Apple of all companies wouldn’t make short term decisions with detrimental long term consequences just to deal with what is hopefully a temporary supply disruption. (It will be temporary right????)
Is all of this a response to the ram/nand shortage? I would hope Apple of all companies wouldn’t make short term decisions with detrimental long term consequences just to deal with what is hopefully a temporary supply disruption. (It will be temporary right????)
mintbliss
macrumors newbie
Damn this would be a big bummer. I get the restrictions but I’d really miss this feature
A leaker claims Apple is currently embroiled in an internal debate over whether MagSafe should remain a standard iPhone feature.
The Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" says that when MagSafe was first introduced, the mood inside Apple was reportedly aggressive about its expansion. MagSafe for the iPhone was introduced with the iPhone 12 lineup in 2020, bringing a ring of magnets to the back of the device for snap-on charging and accessory attachment. The ecosystem has since expanded significantly, with dozens of third-party wallets, cases, stands, and chargers built around the standard.
There were purportedly even plans to bring built-in MagSafe magnets to the iPad lineup, something the leaker previously hinted at, though those plans never materialized. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman first reported in 2021 that Apple was testing a glass-backed iPad Pro that would support wireless charging, specifically noting that MagSalfe was under consideration. A follow-up report in early 2022 suggested Apple had prototyped an iPad Pro with a large glass Apple logo that would serve as the wireless charging area, an approach aimed at avoiding the fragility of an all-glass back. Neither design made it to a shipping product. The rumors resurfaced in late 2023, with reports suggesting that the then-upcoming iPad Pro could include MagSafe support, based on information from sources familiar with Apple's magnet suppliers. The redesigned M4 iPad Pro that launched in 2024 still shipped without the feature.
Now, Instant Digital claims that confidence around MagSafe has given way to uncertainty. The leaker says Apple is weighing the costs of including MagSafe magnets in the iPhone against the strength of the accessory ecosystem that has grown up around the feature, though the nature of the debate and what any change might look like remains unclear.
The iPhone 16e launched without MagSafe, making it the first new iPhone in years to omit it. Many iPhone 16e owners, as well as users of older iPhones without built-in magnets, turned to third-party cases with embedded magnet rings as a workaround, though the experience is generally considered to be inferior to native MagSafe support. The decision nonetheless drew criticism, and Apple reversed course with the iPhone 17e, restoring MagSafe support when the device launched earlier this year.
There is no indication that MagSafe is at imminent risk of disappearing from the iPhone lineup. However, the upcoming foldable "iPhone Ultra" may be a different story. Dummy models of the device show no visible indentations for the internal magnet array that MagSafe requires, suggesting the feature could be absent at launch. The iPhone Ultra is rumored to be just 4.5mm thin when unfolded, and it is thought that the device may simply be too slim to accommodate the magnets. If that proves accurate, the iPhone Ultra would be both the most expensive iPhone ever, with a starting price rumored at around $2,000, and the first new high-end model to ship without MagSafe since the iPhone 11 Pro.
While the wording of Instant Digital's post is somewhat ambiguous, it raises the possibility that Apple could be at least considering pulling MagSafe from its standard iPhone models, potentially making it exclusive to higher-end devices. Recent reports suggest that the standard iPhone 18 is being downgraded to cut costs.
An alternative scenario could see Apple scale back its in-device MagSafe implementation, relying more heavily on cases with embedded magnets to provide compatibility, as many iPhone 16e users already do. Given that Qi2, the open wireless charging standard now widely adopted across the industry, is built directly on MagSafe's magnet ring specification, a full removal of the feature from the entire iPhone lineup seems unlikely.
Article Link: Apple Reportedly Questioning Whether iPhone Should Drop MagSafe
1. Magsafe bedside multi-charger (phone + watch + AirPods)
2. Magsafe charging mount in car
3. Magsafe charging stands (Great for FaceTime!). I have several of these around the house in strategic locations – by the kitchen sink, on my desk, by the couch, etc.
It's become a huge part of how I use my phone.
(As a bonus, I also keep a Magsafe Powerbank in my bag. Love it! Especially when I'm traveling.)
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Unlikely. I'm a little indifferent to MagSafe, but I know that I'm in the minority as it's one of the hardware features that people love the most.
I guess I could see a scenario where much of the MagSafe housing is put in the case, so that apple can prioritise thinness (as they always seem to go back to) and hopefully, room for bigger batteries.
I guess I could see a scenario where much of the MagSafe housing is put in the case, so that apple can prioritise thinness (as they always seem to go back to) and hopefully, room for bigger batteries.
Why ?!!! Why would they want to do that ?!!! … I love MagSafe from day one and get so many accessories that I use all the time …
I/0
macrumors member
Sure, sure, that’s why one of the main “new” features of the iPhone 17e was the inclusion of MagSafe after seeing how much of a requested feature it was for the 16e.
As I’ve said before, lately there’s no criteria to post a “rumor” here, anyone could speculate their wildest guess and you’d be posting it anyways…
As I’ve said before, lately there’s no criteria to post a “rumor” here, anyone could speculate their wildest guess and you’d be posting it anyways…
Magsafe is Qi done right, Qi initially sucked due to the lack of magnets to align the device adequately for charging, which induced slower charging. The revised Qi2 standard added magnets for that very reason.
It wouldn't surprise me tho that most consumers don't use wireless charging and Apple may be looking for possible ways to cut costs, though - just that it would be tough to justify downgrading everything now that Magsafe has been a staple feature for years.
It wouldn't surprise me tho that most consumers don't use wireless charging and Apple may be looking for possible ways to cut costs, though - just that it would be tough to justify downgrading everything now that Magsafe has been a staple feature for years.
Exactly the same here, I’d be pretty pissed off losing magsafe
alexandr
macrumors 603
I broke my 6 screen the day I decided to rock it without a case. Had my phone in my left hand, and killed a mosquito that landed on it with my right — phone didn't stay in place 😀
They finally even got Android phones doing it!
So if my iPhone is going to be filled with first party ads and an overly restrictive app store and have no MagSafe…running out of reasons not to just use Android.
I hope this is just an idea that was floated internally, tested with the 16e, and discarded.
iPhones almost never lose features generation to generation, they tried to get away with it on the 16e and everyone noticed. It would be madness to take it away from the Pro or even “Standard” iPhone.
So if my iPhone is going to be filled with first party ads and an overly restrictive app store and have no MagSafe…running out of reasons not to just use Android.
I hope this is just an idea that was floated internally, tested with the 16e, and discarded.
iPhones almost never lose features generation to generation, they tried to get away with it on the 16e and everyone noticed. It would be madness to take it away from the Pro or even “Standard” iPhone.
alexandr
macrumors 603
It does, but not constantly. It turns off. I have my AOD on, but perhaps there is a separate setting for charging?..
Same exactly. This 17 Pro Max is fantastic but its size is a strength and a weakness, a few well placed MagSafe stands are a total game changer.
And that “used” car would be the sole remaining prototype of the cancelled Apple Car.
Mac Fly (film)
macrumors 68040
Even if a user uses the News app Apple has no business being an aggregator of news. Exit that immediately. Focus on making great hardware, with good OS's without bugs and fluid, zippy lightweight animations that are a joy to use yet minimal and have devs make apps for users outside of basic stuff.
Apple should be making a drag-and-drop design app for devs to make logos and app icons, not trying to aggregate news or keep people fit. There's plenty opportunities to partner with fitness apps, but allows others to handle that stuff. Basic fitness stuff built in Watch makes sense, but nowhere else. Apple are best when they do less and do it well.
Similarly, I would rather Apple existed the content business. IMO it's a distraction for Apple. There are 10 streaming out there already that have streaming covered. Exiting would mean the whole company can focus on hardware and operating systems and the sync services that keep everything in sync.
As for Siri the goal should be answer questions in very words with no pretend AI "emotion" and to have the ability for the user to use voice to carry out any task on their device that can do with other interaction methods.
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