Do MagSafe cases have magnets that connect to the phone

[usmaak]

I got a Tech21 MagSafe case for my just arrived today pro max. It has me wondering how it all works. Is there a magnet in a MagSafe case that connects with the magnet in the phone or does the magnet only face outward to hold accessories and chargers. I have seen pictures of phones with rings between the back glass and the magnet in the phone and I was wondering if MagSafe cases protect from that happening.

 

[DesertSilver]

I have an Apple MagSafe case and MagSafe wallet and they attach together without the phone so that means there’s definitely magnets (or at least metal) in the case itself.

That being said, I’ve always wondered about the technicalities of MagSafe. I mean, is it literally just a circular magnet arrangement that, in typical Apple fashion, is branded as “MagSafe”, or is there some special underlying technology?

 

[ebika]

They aren't special. It's just a ring of magnets in the specific location with the polarity facing the correct direction. It's for alignment of the charging coil in the center of the ring for the MagSafe chargers. The thickness of a case is enough to diminish the pull of the magnets in the phone, so the MagSafe cases add another layer of magnets closer to the back, so stronger pull. The MagSafe charger complies with the Qi charger spec from long ago. The Android LG Nexus 5 phone had similar alignment magnets back in 2013. For non-charging things, like the wallets and mounts, it's only about magnetic hold and alignment.

Making your own MagSafe-compatible case is easy if you buy some cheap ring magnets. I was using a temp ring on my clear case that is intended for embedding into leather layers or whatnot to hold my MagSafe wallet, while this cleaner-looking HaloLock ring was being shipped.

 

[zorinlynx]

The Android LG Nexus 5 phone had similar alignment magnets back in 2013. For non-charging things, like the wallets and mounts, it's only about magnetic hold and alignment.

What's wild is the Palm Pre had magnets to align its wireless charging way back in 2009. It wasn't Qi; they used their own proprietary charging standard as there was no Qi yet, but the phone would align itself on the charger just like MagSafe, 11 whole years before Apple decided to do it.

Apple should have just done it at the same time they introduced Qi charging with the iPhone 8.