Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack Unlocks Long Rumored Reverse Charging Feature

[musicpenguy]

Now that we have MagSafe, I don't think you will see the old style Apple battery pack again.

I’d also much rather have this rather than a case that you need to replace every few years for a new model phone and I’d rather just pop this on for some juice and take it off again when I’m good - but then again I prefer using my phone with no case and this is perfect for that

 

[Unregistered 4U]

As always Apple limits things by its software. Unfortunately I still love iOS.

Likely limited by hardware, too. I’d imagine there’s hardware in the battery that’s not in the current Wireless charging case.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I’d also much rather have this rather than a case that you need to replace every few years for a new model phone and I’d rather just pop this on for some juice and take it off again when I’m good - but then again I prefer using my phone with no case and this is perfect for that

I use the Apple leather sleeve with my mini in the pocket.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

$100 for a bulge that has less than half the phone’s capacity.

much less money can buy high quality battery packs with substantially higher capacity, and will charge other things

Yes, but that high quality battery pack with substantially higher capacity that will charge other things WON’T have an Apple logo. And, for someone suffering from nullumaluphobia, that just will NEVER do

 

[FrozenInferno]

Let’s not forget that whatever capacity the MagSafe pack has is effectively cut in half by the time the charge hits the phone due to wireless charging inefficiencies. Will also take roughly twice as much juice to charge the pack itself using the reverse charging.

Anker’s 5000mAh MagSafe pack won’t even fully charge an iPhone 12.

 

[nitramluap]

As always Apple limits things by its software. Unfortunately I still love iOS.

Yes... and no. They *delay* features in software that their hardware is capable of handling for a few reasons:
- they want to get it just right across their ecosystem
- they want to still allow owners of 'old' devices some joy in a 'new' hardware feature.

Other examples:
Using accelerometers in AirPods for Spatial Audio
Enabling the UWB for finding AirTags

Personally, I like this approach.

 

[TonnyM]

Nice !

 

[FightTheFuture]

and the "bulge" is the easiest bulge to put on and take off ever.

if you have plenty of charge in your iphone, don't put it on.

if you are running out of power. put it on.

in this respect much more flexible than the smart case from apple which i loved on my iphone 11.

A ton of more flexibility given you can use it on the entire iPhone 12 lineup.

Why does Apple always have to wait two/three years to "enable" the features commonly available everywhere?

What other smartphones have MagSafe?

 

[coolajami]

$99 for a battery pack for iPhone only? With No ports apart from its charging port?
I think I'll pass on this.

On another note: It comes only in white? I mean, Apple, what gives?

 

[macsplusmacs]

A ton of more flexibility given you can use it on the entire iPhone 12 lineup.



What other smartphones have MagSafe?

and probably the iphone 13.

even my smart case would not survive a new iphone model.

 

[Analog Kid]

And suddenly it all makes sense…

 

[Dammit Cubs]

Could it charge an Apple Watch?

that alone would be big for me.

 

[acosmichippo]

- they want to still allow owners of 'old' devices some joy in a 'new' hardware feature.

That's silly. They're not going to artificially delay deployable features just for feelings.

 

[Apple_Robert]

that alone would be big for me.

Hopefully, we will see that ability in the next 2 years.

 

[rjp1]

I would think the magnet would be the same strength as the MagSafe Wallet.

I would hope not. It would suck if it fell off while putting it in/out of your pocket.

 

[macduke]

Doubt we'll see them enable wireless charging of AirPods. That's an iPhone 13 feature. They'll enable it on the 12 to get you to buy the battery pack. They'll enable it on the iPhone 13 for AirPods to make another selling point. I hate it when companies artificially limit their products!

 

[ndc55]

$100 for a bulge that has less than half the phone’s capacity.

much less money can buy high quality battery packs with substantially higher capacity, and will charge other things

1650mAh means nothing if you don't know the voltage. The old smart battery case (iPhone 11) had 10.9Wh and 1430mAh. Quick maths tells me it has 7.6V. Your phone has 3.8V battery, so the pack has two battery cells connected in series. *If* this one has 7.6V pack, then it has 12.5Wh of energy, almost matching the 12 Pro Max' 14.1Wh.

 

[lk400]

I really hope we can get 3 consecutive articles in this!

 

[citysnaps]

Ha! I remember all the moans about Apple not knowing what it was doing regarding reverse charge. And the different groups had no leadership regarding strategy and big picture.

 

[urbanslaughter1997]

It’s crazy how many commenters in here have not actually read the article. This battery does NOT allow reverse charging in the way that everyone wants. It simply allows you to charge the pack itself off the phone. Essentially, there are no new features offered here.

 

[Shirasaki]

Oh yeah another magnets.

Unlike iPad magic keyboard case, I doubt this one will stay put easily, and wont require much shake for it to fall off. Don’t want to trust it for recharging anything.

Another question is will Apple have the courage to prevent magsafe charger working with generic power bank after removing the ports or just limit charging power?

 

[farewelwilliams]

Let’s not forget that whatever capacity the MagSafe pack has is effectively cut in half by the time the charge hits the phone due to wireless charging inefficiencies. Will also take roughly twice as much juice to charge the pack itself using the reverse charging.

Anker’s 5000mAh MagSafe pack won’t even fully charge an iPhone 12.

not needed anyways. i'd argue 2000mAh + low power mode should be enough to get you through the day.

 

[Kabeyun]

Apple had better enable reverse charging for upcoming third-party magsafe battery packs, or face yet another anticompetitiveness lawsuit.

 

[noraa]

$100 for a bulge that has less than half the phone’s capacity.

much less money can buy high quality battery packs with substantially higher capacity, and will charge other things

But none have the convenience of MagSafe. I've never liked battery-pack cases because they add a lot of bulk, but there are definitely times it would be nice to have a larger battery. Having a small battery I can just pop on and off without having to change cases sounds pretty awesome to me.

 

[Tofupunch]

The MagSafe life is here! Yay!
...but you need to plug in your phone to reverse charge the battery....? 😒