MagSafe is Coming Back to the Mac: A Look Back at Apple's Original Magnetic Charging Technology

[Macaday]

I don't think certain people's inability to not trip over a cable should override the convenience of using one cable to do everything. Surely now that people have had the time to see the advantages of USB-C - Magsafe seems obsolete?

Unless.... it's an extra port that charges faster when needed but you still have the option of using the one cable solution with USB-C.

 

[jlc1978]

As a road warrior who also travels to more remote places where Apple stores are not easily found, I would Apple to stick to USB-C. I don't mind if it is side by side, but the ability to buy a charger anywhere is worth something to a road warrior.

Same here. It's a lot easier to find a USB-C power supply on the road than an Apple proprietary one.

I don't think certain people's inability to not trip over a cable should override the convenience of using one cable to do everything. Surely now that people have had the time to see the advantages of USB-C - Magsafe seems obsolete?

Unless.... it's an extra port that charges faster when needed but you still have the option of using the one cable solution with USB-C.

That would be the best option - keep the current USB C charging capablity and add in MagSafe.

It doesn't. Just go on Amazon and there are a bunch of inexpensive 3rd-party MagSafe chargers.

Many of which are of dubious quality.

And let not forget the practicality of replacing just a cable when it dies. In 4 years I replaced 3 magsafe chargers and in 4 years I replaced 1 usb-c cable.

Good point. Having had chargers whose cable frayed to broke, replacing aa USB-C cable is a lot cheaper than buyimg a newe power supply; plus I have a magnetic USB C charging cable so i still have the benefits of Mag Safe at a fraction of the replacement costs, plus can use t with my iPad.

for those of yoh who still don’t have a usb-c mac, let me tell you. I thought I was gonna miss magsafe. I never did, just the possibility to charge from either side outweighs it. Also woth longer lasting batteries you are not plugged in all the time.

With USB-C you can still get a mnagenetic cable and charge the Mac.

 

[piercedpagan]

For me this is a two edged sword, I LOVED MagSafe, I can be a little clumsy, so having the cable magnetically detach when I trip over a cable, godsend, and the visual led was amazing to know it was charging or charged. But since being able to have usb-c on my Mac it has opened up a world of less cables! when I can go away for work or play I can do so with two cables, my MacBook charger, and my iPhone charger, then I can charge all my devices, my iPad, Mac, speaker and switch are all charged by my MacBook charger and obviously iPhone on iPhone charger, I think a good compromise would be allowing charging over usb-c but at a slower speed? That way when traveling it wouldn't change anything but when at home I could take advantage of the speed if needed, I have personally Never found my MacBook slow to charge in the first place!

 

[Project Alice]

You mean Apple is actually listening to people now?
I always thought getting rid of magsafe was the stupidest thing ever. Then they took away the chime, and the backlit Apple logo.
We've got the chime back, hopefully magsafe. If they bring back the glowing logo I actually might want one. It may be only cosmetic but it was a big part of the portable Mac's identity.

 

[iConnected]

Jan 15, 2021:

Along with additional ports, a new flat-edged design, and the removal of the Touch Bar, Apple's updated MacBook Pro machines will readopt MagSafe.

The switch back to MagSafe is likely to be popular with MacBook Pro owners who have been missing the feature since Apple transitioned to USB-C.

Jun 6, 2017 (re: "Waiting for the 2018 MBP"):

I'm holding out for the return of MagSafe.

If I kick the thing onto the floor and smash it to bits (as I would have done countless times with my current MBP if MagSafe hadn't saved me every time), everything else is irrelevant.

Yippee!! A long wait, but great news if common sense - in the form of MagSafe for Apple laptops - is finally returning!

 

[darngooddesign]

Many of which are of dubious quality.

That wasn't the question. LOL

In my experience the quality of Apple's MagSafe chargers was fairly dubious.

I used the 3-rd party chargers in the past, including a smaller travel charger, and they were fine. By fine I mean that while they didn't necessarily last longer than Apple's, they were cheaper to replace.

 

[Hadron]

I'm going to be a heretic, but I don't miss magsafe. I actually prefer having one cable and charger for everything I carry when travelling. And as the previous generation of Macs needed dongles anyway if you used wired ethernet, if you occasionally needed to connect to older projectors (visit schools and you'll find old hardware still in use), or even if you just had anything other than the narrowest USB-A hardware (as Apple always put ports too close together, no matter what sort of port it is). So in fact the all USB-C Macs are simpler for me to connect up: leave one dongle on the desk, plug that in in the morning, job done, as opposed to connecting charger, monitor, keyboard (with extra USB ports). Also being able to charge through ports on either side of the computer is useful. Plus the old MagSafe chargers where you had to replace the charger when the wrapping on the cable came apart were incredibly wasteful, so let us please not go back to chargers with integrated cables.

So if they add a magsafe port but keep the ability to charge through USB-C ports, no problem. But please also keep the charger itself as USB-C and just put a magsafe cable in the box.

 

[jlc1978]

That wasn't the question. LOL

It is, however, part of the answer. There are a lot of cheap knockoffs that I would be concerned whether they actually had the appropriate certifications or simply silkscreened them on the brick. That's not to say they al are bad, but it is a bit of a crapshoot as to the quality of the charger.

In my experience the quality of Apple's MagSafe chargers was fairly dubious.

The only issue I have had with them is fraying at the brick end of the wire after long use. They aren't some super well made extra pure output device but at least you know they meet certain safety and design criteria.

I used the 3-rd party chargers in the past, including a smaller travel charger, and they were fine. By fine I mean that while they didn't necessarily last longer than Apple's, they were cheaper to replace.

For me, price is only one aspect of a purchase decision. Personally, I don't want to risk damaging an expensive mac or start a fire to save $0 or so on a charger; others have different viewpoints and that's fine.

I choose to buy open box chargers to save some money and still be assured I'd have a safe and reliable charger.

The advantage of USB-C is the availability of quality 3rd party chargers and cables so you can easily replace a defective one, or buy one with more ports, etc. for greater flexibility. Personally, my ideal solution if Apple does bring back MagSafe is to have the MagSafe cable use a USB-C plug and make the USB-C brick with at least 2 USB-C ports so you can charge a Mac and another device from 1 brick, and keep USB-C Charging built into the USB-C ports for those that want to use it or as a backup if the MagSafe cable breaks.

 

[Cyprusian]

A cautionary tale: I was once using my 2014 13" MBP Retina in bed with the MagSafe connector plugged in when the computer slipped off onto the floor. It landed on the MagSafe connector which caused a slight buckle in the case around the socket.

Around a year later the screen had to be replaced. Although I had AppleCare cover for my MBP, I had to pay full price for the repair because of the cosmetic damage to the case around the MagSafe socket. I accept the damage was due to my own carelessness, but it had nothing to do with the cause of screen failure. I don't use my MBP in bed any more

It's worth noting that my 6 year old MBP is still going strong and will continue to serve me well until I can't resist one of the new models if the rumoured next-generation specification becomes reality.

 

[DogGone]

Apple patented this in 2016.


View attachment 1713538

US20170093104A1 - Magnetic adapter - Google Patents

Connector adapters that may have a MagSafe connector receptacle and a Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector insert. This may allow MagSafe chargers to be used to charge devices having Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector receptacles. This also may provide the breakaway characteristic of a...

patents.google.com

"Connector adapters that may have a MagSafe connector receptacle and a Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector insert. This may allow MagSafe chargers to be used to charge devices having Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector receptacles. This also may provide the breakaway characteristic of a MagSafe connector system for a device that does not include a MagSafe connector receptacle. Other adapters may have other types of magnetic connector receptacles and connector inserts."

There are several manufacturers that already provide this. When I ordered the first gen Touch Bar MBP I also got one of these cables. It worked well for a while and then broke. I got a second cable but in the end started using a usb-c cable with no issues of damage.
so if Apple make that type of cable I would be interested. What I don’t want is a MagSafe port just on one side of the MBP. Being able to charge on either side is very useful. Plus it allows you to have multiple chargers at different locations without having to lug the heavy Apple brick around.

 

[DogGone]

The main problem with MagSafe in my opinion was when the cable inevitably started to fray, you had to replace the whole charger. With the USB-C chargers, the cable is detachable so you can replace just the cable.

If they can sort this, then I’ll be happy enough to see the return of MagSafe.

Ditto that. I have had to replace several Apple chargers because of that, including once when one of my dogs decided to take out his frustration at being left at home on the low voltage cable!
USB-c chargers are good in that it gives you options on what cable to use. I have mag-safe like cables that work well using a usb-c charger for both my newer usb-c MBP plus an older mag-safe version. The flexibility is good and definitely cheaper than a $90 Apple brick.

 

[litmag01]

All for this. USB-C Board replacement is annoying.

 

[ian87w]

MagSafe looks convenient, but it takes up a lot of space, proprietary, and single purpose. USB-C is fine. The whole Windows laptop market never have something like MagSafe, and we seem to be doing fine.

 

[BFskinnerPunk]

I still have a MagSafe-era Macbook Pro, but one thing I had been looking forward to when I do decide to upgrade has been USB-C charging and being able to use such a wide variety of charging devices, like powerbanks, power strips with USB-C PD ports (Anker makes some really nice ones) and so on. Requiring MagSafe for charging basically means you need a line level (120/240V) power outlet and the original Apple charging brick to charge your MacBook.

So I hope if this rumor is true and Apple brings MagSafe charging back to the MacBook, that the USB-C ports are still usable to charge with, even if it's slower.

Yes, it will be VERY BAD if the USB-C ports do not serve to charge the Mac, too. Obviously, there will be times when you are running low, and the only available charges will be someone's USB-C charger.

 

[jlc1978]

MagSafe looks convenient, but it takes up a lot of space, proprietary, and single purpose. USB-C is fine. The whole Windows laptop market never have something like MagSafe, and we seem to be doing fine.

The big advantage for me to a breakawaay cable is foor traveling. I'm often at a site where my powersupply is in a wall plug and the cable snakes aacross the floor, which then gets tripped over. With a break away cable my Mac is protected from the inevitable tug on the cable. At home, no big deal becasue I have a desk and the cable is out of the way.

 

[Pimmp]

One of the best inventions for laptops ever

 

[darngooddesign]

It is, however, part of the answer. There are a lot of cheap knockoffs that I would be concerned whether they actually had the appropriate certifications or simply silkscreened them on the brick. That's not to say they al are bad, but it is a bit of a crapshoot as to the quality of the charger.

I had a MagSafe1 charger fray the cable interior before the cable's sheath looked damaged; came close to frying my book. So with as low-quality as Apple's chargers were, using 3rd-party held no additional risk.

In the end, if Apple adds a MagSafe3 port but doesn't get rid of USB-C charging, I can't see why anyone would complain. It certainly isn't going to make docks obsolete because even if USB-charging goes away all the dock functionality remains.

 

[darngooddesign]

MagSafe looks convenient, but it takes up a lot of space, proprietary, and single purpose. USB-C is fine. The whole Windows laptop market never have something like MagSafe, and we seem to be doing fine.

While your point about it being single-purpose is correct, the other side of the coin is that it leaves your USB-C ports available for USB things like leaving your iPad plugged in so it can be a Sidecar display.

Regarding taking up a lot of space, my 2014 13" MBP has MagSafe2 (the wider kind), 2 thunderbolt ports, a USB-A port (the wider kind), and a headphone jack all on the same side so Apple used to be able to find space for all these things.

PS. Macs were fine before MagSafe, but objectively better with it.

 

[RogerWilco]

I remember thinking "whaa??" when Steve Jobs introduced it, but was very quickly won over.

I really hope it comes back.

Jobs “borrowed” the idea from a Japanese company that sold deep-fryer appliances. Spilling a couple of liters of hot cooking oil is far more serious than dumping a laptop on the floor. He and Ive were really into magnetic gadgets during that period even using them to secure the display covers on the iMacs.

 

[The Game 161]

Hoping this does come to the air as well guessing it will

 

[darngooddesign]

Jobs “borrowed” the idea from a Japanese company that sold deep-fryer appliances. Spilling a couple of liters of hot cooking oil is far more serious than dumping a laptop on the floor. He and Ive were really into magnetic gadgets during that period even using them to secure the display covers on the iMacs.

I'm glad they remained into magnetic gadgets because that first magnetic SmartCover for my iPad2 was just clever as hell.

 

[Cosmosent]

Looking at the BIGGER picture, I believe this ALSO means TouchID is coming back to iPhones

 

[MacBH928]

Apple patented this in 2016.


View attachment 1713538

US20170093104A1 - Magnetic adapter - Google Patents

Connector adapters that may have a MagSafe connector receptacle and a Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector insert. This may allow MagSafe chargers to be used to charge devices having Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector receptacles. This also may provide the breakaway characteristic of a...

patents.google.com

"Connector adapters that may have a MagSafe connector receptacle and a Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector insert. This may allow MagSafe chargers to be used to charge devices having Universal Serial Bus Type-C connector receptacles. This also may provide the breakaway characteristic of a MagSafe connector system for a device that does not include a MagSafe connector receptacle. Other adapters may have other types of magnetic connector receptacles and connector inserts."

I don't know why they didn't go this route in the first place sounds very reasonable middle ground. MagSafe is so good, just like the 3-point seatbealt, it should be implemented in all mobile devices.

 

[jlc1978]

I had a MagSafe1 charger fray the cable interior before the cable's sheath looked damaged; came close to frying my book. So with as low-quality as Apple's chargers were, using 3rd-party held no additional risk.

I guess we'll just have to disagree on the risk of 3rd party vs Apple chargers.My point is the Chinese are very good at building to a price point and cutting corners to make something very cheaply; and based on my experience with Apple chargers they are of a higher quality and more reliable than 3rd party ones. YMMV.

In the end, if Apple adds a MagSafe3 port but doesn't get rid of USB-C charging, I can't see why anyone would complain. It certainly isn't going to make docks obsolete because even if USB-charging goes away all the dock functionality remains.

I'm not complaining, I just hope they do infect retain USB-C charging capability so I don't need to carry yet another brick and spare brick when traveling. That way, the magSafe charger can get tossed into the spares drawer. Right now I have 2 USB-C chargers in my go bag that meet my needs and provide a backup; I prefer not to lose that. I can live without the Touch Bar as long as the F keys are programmable, losing USB-C charging would be more of a pain.

 

[ZipZap]

Apple's been stupid in this regard. Their customers told them that MagSafe was good, and Apple just did not care.