iPhone 17 Pro: Apple Has 'Tested' Wireless Reverse Charging Feature

[MacRumors]

Apple has reportedly tested a wireless reverse charging feature for its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models that would make the iPhone capable of delivering power to other Apple devices, according to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital.

The Chinese leaker claims that Apple is testing a 7.5W wireless charging feature for iPhone 17 Pro models, and it could be used to charge other Apple accessories like AirPods, Apple Watch, or potentially an upcoming MagSafe Battery Pack.

Long-running rumors of iPhone reverse wireless charging capabilities finally came to fruition in 2021 – albeit in a limited way – when Apple released the MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 and newer models. When attached to an ‌iPhone‌ that was charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ could deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which was the first instance of an ‌iPhone‌ being able to route power to an accessory device.

Apple discontinued the MagSafe Battery Pack in September 2023 with the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup, which dropped the Lightning cable in favor of USB-C. iPhone 15 and later models can reverse charge Apple Watch, AirPods, and other smaller devices that support Power Delivery at up to 4.5 watts via the USB-C port, but the wireless reverse charging feature for Apple devices has not been implemented since the discontinuation of the MagSafe Battery Pack.

In 2022, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that a relaunched MagSafe Battery Pack would eventually transition to USB-C, but that has yet to happen. Likewise, In September 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said he expected USB-C versions of the MagSafe Battery Pack to return "eventually." But he qualified that by saying "Don't hold your breath."

Instant Digital today admitted that while Apple is testing the reverse wireless charging feature for the iPhone 17 Pro models, the leaker does not know if the feature will actually be enabled on the devices when they officially launch. Apple is expected to release its iPhone 17 lineup around mid-September.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Pro: Apple Has 'Tested' Wireless Reverse Charging Feature

 

[Havalo]

In reality, iPhone 17 will be identical to 16 with, possibly, maybe a new button.

 

[clg82]

Apples idea of "innovation"......let's do something 5 years after it's already been accomplished.

 

[xDKP]

Reverse charging for just boosting your Apple Watch or Airpods case could be useful in a limited number of scenarios - but not really something I have been missing a lot

 

[BelgianChoklit]

Doesn't the Apple Watch charge through a large surface of the curved back? I doubt this feature would work with the Apple Watch.

 

[Carlson-online]

enough with the bulges already. that looks horrific.

 

[randomgeeza]

Please God, no... Just no! That is the ugliest thing. It's that ugly it's laughable!

 

[contacos]

Got this on my Galaxy. Can't say I ever used this feature besides initially trying it out. Way too slow to charge and I don't gain anything by draining my main device

 

[Smog]

Slightly misleading. The feature hasn’t been disabled. My 16 pro still wirelessly reverse charges my MagSafe power bank.

The feature isn’t discontinued, just the item isn’t freely available anymore

 

[frou]

It would look amusing to have an Apple Watch tightly attached to the phone using the fabric strap

 

[sunapple]

enough with the bulges already. that looks horrific.

I agree but people seem to love it on Apple Watch Ultra...

 

[HouseLannister]

Only care if this means we are getting 6000+ mAh silicon carbide batteries

 

[MrRom92]

My move when I need a watch top-up is to shove the charging puck between the watch and my wrist, and have the cable connected to a USB power bank as if I were hooked up intravenously

 

[zombierunner]

Wow, so cool.

 

[Rychiar]

Got this on my Galaxy. Can't say I ever used this feature besides initially trying it out. Way too slow to charge and I don't gain anything by draining my main device

7.5watt is faster than those small devices charge at now…

 

[Chungry]

Got this on my Galaxy. Can't say I ever used this feature besides initially trying it out. Way too slow to charge and I don't gain anything by draining my main device

Yep, never used it. What happened to Apple saying NO? This isn't really a great feature considering the charge speeds on offer

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It would look amusing to have an Apple Watch tightly attached to the phone using the fabric strap

Just one more “bump” among the other bumps. And this bump can offer up the time when it’s too difficult to get that from looking at the other side. 😉

 

[Ctrlos]

Given that every other manufacturer seems to have binned Qi2 as an idea at all, i wonder if they could move up the flash and LiDAR to the lenses and then use that large exposed glass area to get rid of MagSafe as it stands and instead make it wirelessly charge using an Apple Watch puck. This would then let them mill the entire back panel out of one block of aluminium, echoing the design of the iPad Pro.

Sure you’d piss off everyone who invested in MagSafe accessories but it wouldn’t be the first time Apple dropped a standard. However being able to use an Apple Watch puck to charge your iPhone would be pretty bloody useful!

 

[dannyyankou]

Technically, all the iPhones with MagSafe have the capability to do reverse wireless charging. They reverse wireless charge Apple’s MagSafe battery pack when your phone is plugged in. I’m sure it’s more complex than that, but it makes you wonder if Apple can just enable it with a software update.

 

[Charlesrfinal]

I actually like the reverse charge feature for my MagSafe battery pack with my 16 Pro Max.

If I'm going on a hike tomorrow for example, I can plug the phone into a 20W Apple charger with the pack attached and by the time I wake up both are charged.

Granted it's a limited use case, but it does work for me.

 

[slippery-pete]

Please God, no... Just no! That is the ugliest thing. It's that ugly it's laughable!

Reality is, it doesn't matter what the phone will look like people are going to complain about it.

 

[Zorn]

I've never quite understood the draw of a feature like this, other than for a minute it can be cool to show someone one phone charging another, if they've never seen it. A battery of any sort, MagSafe or other, does an immensely better job at this task. I already have to charge my 15 Pro twice a day, a dumb parlor trick feature like this should be left to Samsung.

 

[lanceuppercut47]

Maybe the raised area to the right where's there no camera in the Pixel bar is where the charger will be located for the watch, after all unless you remove your bands to charge, it might not sit flat.

 

[Take Flight]

when are we going to get true AirPower? Apple has all these technologies that can talk to each other, know your precise location (airtags, homepod handoff etc)….surely some extreme low level power transfer that could trickle charge a device when close enough in proximity could be technically achievable.

Imagine having your homepods be able to top off your devices just being in the same room.

 

[freezelighter]

Xiaomi, OPPO, VIVO style.