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Apple Reportedly Questioning Whether iPhone Should Drop MagSafe
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I would say drop the MagSafe. From my observations, it is slowly charging and can damage the battery in the long run. I support Apple to drop it.
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
the iPhone 16e looked CHEAP as hell without magsafe in apple stores. imagine the standard iphone just sadly leaned against a stand. what apple saves in mere cents in production they lose in brand equity.
As inflation continues to erode everyone's purchasing power, companies like Apple will continue to find ways to downgrade their products in order to keep prices relatively stable. We've already seen this with their switch from stainless steel/titanium to aluminum on the Pro models.
Mr. Heckles
macrumors 68000
Aargh, Apple once again lets the fruit rot on the vine! 😡 I’d love to find a mag-safe mount for my spotting scopes instead of the dreadful spring clips or rubber bands. However, this kind of move would discourage anyone developing a volume solution. A 3D-printed maker solution would be great, but then I’d only have use for it for a couple of years. I also love my bedside Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe.
People actually pay extra for those features via subscription so they aren't killing that cash cow. I love magsafe and hope they don't decide to ditch it altogether...it's actually one of the features that sets the iPhones apart from competitors that people actually care about.
For me, it's less about the wireless charging (because that doesn't depend on the magsafe) but it helps make sure the phone is optimally places on the charger and mounting it in the car, removeable pop-sockets, wallets, etc. make it a very useful functionality.
ClaraStahlbaum
macrumors 6502a
I am one of the few people who wouldn't care if Apple dropped magsafe. If it reduces the price of the Iphone, I am all for it.
klasma
macrumors G4
The magnets are only one possible profile of Qi2. Most manufacturers deliver Qi2 without magnets, because the optimal magnet placement is patented by Apple and hence incurs additional licensing costs.
HouseLannister
macrumors 68040
I am sure they are evaluating every cost cutting with memory and storage prices where they are, but this would not be a good look. It would be a very strange future if Google was the only one putting Qi2 in their phones.
Reducing the price of the iPhone will not happen! This is more like a cutting corners move if they drop MagSafe.
kpluck
macrumors regular
Let me explain the debate Apple is probably having…they included a useful feature that has spawned a large accessory ecosystem around it, however, they can't monetize that ecosystem in a way that they would like. So the only alternative they see is to drop the feature so they can save $0.17 per phone in manufacturing costs.
-kp
This sounds desparate if true. It has been a key feature of iPhones for a long time. Conversely, I guess we could do without it, we did for a long long time. But unless they are really desperate for margins and lowering costs in the face of quadrupling Ram prices, they should probably leave it alone. Note that Samsung has been successful without a MagSafe equivalent so this is an Apple thing and only an Apple thing. I can do without it but would prefer not to. I, however, would not trade MagSafe support for RAM. Desperate times need desperate measures, sometimes. Just another sign of the times we live in.
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
$5 times a bajillion phones is still 5 bajillion dollars in savings. Or the cost of 1 ram chip these days, approximately.
westislander
macrumors member
The Samsung S26 Ultra doesn't have a built in Magsafe magnet but it still supports the Qi2 fast charging standard of up to 25W. The two can be mutually exclusive.
mattopotamus
macrumors Pentium
I really hope this is not true. Never mind that I love MagSafe, but so much has been invested into this ecosystem. This would indicate a major lack of long-term vision on the part of Apple.
