The return of mag safe

[Jinjin]

So with the rumours of mag safe returning to the the MacBook Pro’s later this year, I’m not sure how I feel about it.

With recent adoption of usb-c on the MacBooks, iPad Pro’s and latest iPad Air and with the hope that the iPhones would follow suit if really felt Apple were moving to a unified world between devices and removing the need for a plethora of cables.

The talk of mag safe returning feels confusing to me in the more recent approach Apple have taken. I don’t think I want to go back to a place where I’m restricted on which side of the MacBook I plug in my charger, where I have more proprietary cables and kit I need to carry.

Mag safe worked well for it’s intended use case of the cable being snagged and pulled away from the device saving you the anguish when your kid trips over your charging cable and sends your laptop flying across the room.. but I also found it annoying when say sat on the sofa and the it would disconnect inadvertently, I found it annoying having to buy more proprietary replacements when my last mag safe 2 cable frayed.

I’m in a happy place right now, one single charger I can use to juice up my Mac, put into my work windows device, top up my daughters iPad as we currently home school in lockdown. Maybe one day even charge my iPhone.

Hopefully charging through usb c will be an option alongside a dedicated MagSafe port, maybe incorporating it into usb c in some way but I’m not sure I’m ready to go back.

 

[Kung gu]

Best way of I am looking at it. Apple still includes the 4 USB-C ports and MagSafe. The user the option of charging from MagSafe if you prefer a more "safe" way of charging or via USB-C from either the 4 included ports.

This way apple can cater to both groups. Those who prefer MagSafe or USB-C charging.

I don't know why this is a big deal.

 

[jz0309]

to me it is doubtful that it will come back ... USB-C charging has to stay, and a 2nd way to charge is a waste resources (in the laptop) and will cost add money for no benefit ... and it would be a proprietary solution, again. it does not make sense to me.

 

[G5isAlive]

to me it is doubtful that it will come back ... USB-C charging has to stay, and a 2nd way to charge is a waste resources (in the laptop) and will cost add money for no benefit ... and it would be a proprietary solution, again. it does not make sense to me.

This. I think the rumor folks have it totally wrong and people are just marching along. I predict MagSafe charger for phone in the deck of the computer.

 

[Kung gu]

This. I think the rumor folks have it totally wrong and people are just marching along. I predict MagSafe charger for phone in the deck of the computer.

I mean this ain't ur average twitter Joe or Jill on twitter, telling these things. Its Mark Gurman AND Kuo and both have confirmed that MagSafe is coming back. The reports were clear and not vague.

 

[jz0309]

I mean this ain't ur average twitter Joe or Jill on twitter, telling these things. Its Mark Gurman AND Kuo and both have confirmed that MagSafe is coming back. The reports were clear and not vague.

and while they are reputable, they are not always right, neither am I for that matter
I stand by my com meets above, I do not consider adding a charging method (in addition to USB-C) a. step forward, and replacing USB-C?
but MagSafe for iPhone is something entirely different, so maybe we are assuming wrong that MagSafe is the return of the old MagSafe, who knows? it's not wireless, unless the new MacBooks have some non-metallic case ...
We''l find out some point this year ...

 

[G5isAlive]

I mean this ain't ur average twitter Joe or Jill on twitter, telling these things. Its Mark Gurman AND Kuo and both have confirmed that MagSafe is coming back. The reports were clear and not vague.

Neither has a 100% record and what we see more and more is different people working off the same tip to magnify a false rumor. But sure, treat their guesses as fact. Time will tell.

 

[brianmowrey]

I would still put the odds of any of these changes panning out as 50/50.

Reviving MagSafe would be... interesting. It would suggest, at bottom, that Apple thinks it will sell more units. Presumably due to visual and UX branding. Maybe, "OK, $15 dollar bluetooth speakers charge with USB-C now, we want the experience of plugging a MacBook Pro charger in to be distinct from that." Especially if the new "port" is seamless, and the low power draw of Apple Silicon is specifically what opened up that possibility.

Certainly Mag-Safe MBPs should still support USB-C charging as an option so users can carry fewer cords / not be in a bind if the MagSafe cable or port breaks.

But Tim Cook and the gang, they're some kooky characters. You never know...

 

[Fishrrman]

Seems to me that if Apple goes to the trouble of re-designing the MagSafe back into the MacBook Pros, that THAT'S the way they're going to have it set up to charge, and NOT continuing to use the USBc ports.

Why put it there otherwise?

 

[jerryk]

Seems like a waste to me. I just hope that we can still use USB-C charging in addition to Magsafe. I have a number of USB-C chargers and do not want to have to carry a dedicated MacBook Magsafe charger.

 

[jz0309]

Seems to me that if Apple goes to the trouble of re-designing the MagSafe back into the MacBook Pros, that THAT'S the way they're going to have it set up to charge, and NOT continuing to use the USBc ports.

Why put it there otherwise?

yep, 2 ways to charge just does not make any sense

 

[jerryk]

yep, 2 ways to charge just does not make any sense

Makes a lot of sense to me. USB-C chargers and cables are ubiquitous and cheap. I the same cable charger and cable with my Samsung phone, iPad Pro, and M1 MB Air. It is great not to have to carry two sets of chargers and cables.

Also, USB-C already has Power Delivery defined in the spec. Apple is going to have USB-C ports for peripherals (monitors, UBS drives, etc). Purposely disabling the Power Delivery portion of USB-C would be a strange move.

 

[jz0309]

Makes a lot of sense to me. USB-C chargers and cables are ubiquitous and cheap. I the same cable charger and cable with my Samsung phone, iPad Pro, and M1 MB Air. It is great not to have to carry two sets of chargers and cables.

Also, USB-C already has Power Delivery defined in the spec. Apple is going to have USB-C ports for peripherals (monitors, UBS drives, etc). Purposely disabling the Power Delivery portion of USB-C would be a strange move.

maybe I should have said this different: adding Magsafe as a 2nd way to charge does not make sense, to me. I do not want MagSafe to return.

 

[KPOM]

I mean this ain't ur average twitter Joe or Jill on twitter, telling these things. Its Mark Gurman AND Kuo and both have confirmed that MagSafe is coming back. The reports were clear and not vague.

Why not a "MagSafe" USB-C cable? There are third party cables with similar functionality, but an Apple-included solution would likely be better.

 

[jerryk]

maybe I should have said this different: adding Magsafe as a 2nd way to charge does not make sense, to me. I do not want MagSafe to return.

OK. I agree with that. Been using MacBooks for 2 decades and never tripped on the power cord.

If Magsafe meant wireless charging like the phones, then maybe it might make sense. But charging via a cable does not.

 

[Geepaw]

Magsafe is signature technology. It was not smart for Apple to abandon it. For those who use their laptops as desktop replacements -- at least part of the time -- Magsafe was a fantastic and secure solution. Also, Magsafe can absolutely co-exist with USB-C. Perhaps it will ab able to provide a faster charge.

 

[brianmowrey]

Perhaps it will ab able to provide a faster charge.

Not difficult, since USB-C caps at 100W, but also unnecessary, since Apple Silicon draws so little power / derives so much more life-per-charge-time-unit compared to Intel builds.

 

[ght56]

I look forward to MagSafe returning. I would like to see Apple laptops be able to use both it and USB-C for charging. IMHO MagSafe was a vastly more durable port than USB-C and withstood many more plug/unplug cycles without becoming loose/problematic. I also liked the original MagSafe L-design much more than MagSafe 2 or USB-C for sitting the system in my lap when plugged in.

If you gave me a 16-inch with 6-8 USB-C ports, four Thunderbolt busses, and MagSafe, I'd be totally delighted.

 

[MBAir2010]

Magsafe is a very great design and concept, but the adaptor seems to fray after years of normal usage.
Apple should copy what Dell did to the XPS and have a constant illuminated jack.

 

[Geepaw]

Not difficult, since USB-C caps at 100W, but also unnecessary, since Apple Silicon draws so little power / derives so much more life-per-charge-time-unit compared to Intel builds.

Perhaps Magsafe will be able to get achieve a full charge a lot faster.

 

[Sterkenburg]

Magsafe was great in several ways, but let's not put it on a pedestal...

- The convenience of being able to charge from any port using any compatible cable is equally great, and I think whatever solution Apple will come up with we'll retain that. Throwing away such capability would be crazy.
- Magsafe cables were complete s**t. They were permanently attached to the adapter body as well, so when they started fraying you had to throw away an otherwise perfectly functioning unit, one of the most irritating things ever. The introduction of a replaceable, detachable and generic cable was a godsend.

 

[geejay9876]

I got myself a magnetic USB-C cable from Nimaso. So far it works great. They give two cables by standard so one can leave the plug permanently attached to the Mac, leave the detached cable at home and carry the second cable in case one needs more juice on the road.

Video about the Nimaso magnetic cable from someone else:

 

[doolar]

I do not miss Magsafe. Especially the failing cable that made the entire charging brick useless. So please stick with USB-C, at least as an option. Everything but my Iphone and Airpods are USB-C these days, and both of those devices are always charged wirelessly.

 

[R3k]

Why not MagSafe being an adapter for a usb-c cable?

I mean all it really was was a magnet that detached when you tripped over the cable.

Why do people think it needs to be a whole new port?

 

[Spudlicious]

I like MagSafe power connection because it's zero force. With my M1 Air - still my new baby - I just hate ramming a USB-C plug in and pulling it out because of concern for strain on the logic board. When I was doing laptop repairs ten and more years ago I occasionally had to re-solder the power input socket to the board, but laptops of that era were usually much easier to work on. Zero force is the reason I use wireless charging for my iPhone, I don't like connecting to that lightning socket either.

It can be said that MagSafe power connection is a proprietary system, well so what? Don't our Macs run a proprietary OS? Aren't there a zillion iPhones and iPads with their sole connector being a proprietary Apple type? It can also be said that it means proliferating connector types, true, but we're already in that jungle. My home, your home, how many gizmo connector types are in use? USB-C will join the ranks of obsolescent but somehow still essential connectors in the fulness of time, be sure of it, only diamonds are forever.

For all that, I'll still be surprised if MagSafe returns to MacBooks. Surprised but happy, as I would be if my lottery numbers come up.