Apple’s MagSafe for telephones has developed fairly a bit since its debut on the 2020 iPhone 12 line, bringing magnetic wi-fi charging from the iPhone to the AirPods. Since Apple’s MagSafe is suitable with the Qi2 wi-fi charging customary and has confirmed in style, we’re beginning to see Samsung, Google and OnePlus present assist for related magnetic equipment.
Even higher, these wi-fi charging equipment are cheaper now than they have been when MagSafe debuted, with corporations resembling Anker and Belkin making Qi2 magnetic charging pads and stands that assist 15-watt speeds while not having Apple’s certification and approval. However in case you get a brand new iPhone 16 and use it with considered one of Apple’s MagSafe chargers and a 30-watt energy adapter, now you can get even sooner 25-watt charging speeds.
Learn extra: iPhone 16: What We Know Concerning the Launch Date, Leaks and Extra
But it surely’s not nearly charging. Apple’s MagSafe for iPhone permits for all types of magnetic circumstances, wallets, stands, grips and different equipment that may be shortly hooked up to the again of an iPhone utilizing built-in magnets. This has led to an assortment of equipment — some formally licensed by Apple and others which can be merely magnetic — that make the most of the characteristic to offer loads of customizable choices.
In order MagSafe grows, and hopefully begins coming to non-iPhone gadgets because the Qi2 customary, let’s decipher what Apple’s MagSafe for iPhone precisely is and methods to inform the distinction between that, non-magnetic Qi2 chargers and equipment that merely magnetically connect to your telephone.
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What’s MagSafe for iPhone?
Apple’s MagSafe for iPhone customary refers to each a collection of magnets which have been put in in most new iPhone fashions since 2020 — exterior of the iPhone SE — and a wi-fi charging customary that may recharge an iPhone sooner than the unique Qi customary.
Apple’s MagSafe permits for equipment that may be hooked up to an iPhone utilizing magnets. These embrace MagSafe telephone circumstances, wallets, mounts, grips, chargers, stands and plenty of different choices.
Earlier than the launch of the Qi2 customary, Apple’s MagSafe wi-fi charger was additionally the one solution to get sooner 15-watt wi-fi charging to work on an iPhone, with Apple citing that the magnets allowed a safe match to assist hit these speeds. Now, Qi2 chargers present the identical 15-watt speeds for earlier iPhone fashions, whereas the iPhone 16 collection can hit 25 watts over Apple’s MagSafe chargers when used with a 30-watt adapter. When utilizing a regular Qi charger, the iPhone caps the speed at half that pace, providing 7.5-watt wi-fi charging.
The Belkin Increase Cost Professional 3-in-1 Qi2 charger
What’s Qi2 charging, and the way is it totally different from MagSafe?
Qi2 is an open customary and iterates on prime of the prior Qi wi-fi charging customary whereas incorporating components of Apple’s MagSafe customary. This consists of each magnetic compatibility and a 15-watt wi-fi charging pace, that means that any telephone that helps Qi2 might probably assist magnetic equipment together with sooner wi-fi charging.
As of proper now, nonetheless, the one Android telephone that natively helps Qi2 is the HMD Skyline, however there are already a number of corporations making Qi2 equipment that work throughout each the Skyline and Apple’s iPhone. For its new Galaxy S25 telephones, Samsung is now promoting first-party circumstances which can be “Qi2 Prepared” — that means that the circumstances embrace the magnets wanted to assist magnetic equipment. OnePlus is promoting the same magnetic case for its OnePlus 13, and Google’s up to now introduced that it’ll present assist for the Qi2 customary by contributing towards its improvement.
Apple has additionally up to date all of its MagSafe-compatible iPhones to assist Qi2, that means that in case you purchase a Qi2 wi-fi charger it ought to assist sooner 15-watt wi-fi charging. Plus, Qi2 telephones that embrace magnets ought to assist the plethora of magnetic equipment that have been first launched with MagSafe in thoughts, probably bringing compatibility to docks, mounts, grips and pockets equipment. A few of these Qi2 equipment are additionally barely cheaper than MagSafe-certified equipment, which require a certification by Apple with the intention to get the MagSafe branding.
Belkin’s iPhone mount attaches with MagSafe.
Which MagSafe equipment can I take advantage of?
With the launch of Qi2, there at the moment are a number of various kinds of magnetic equipment that would work together with your telephone. This will get a bit complicated, however in case you purchase a magnetic telephone accent and your telephone helps both MagSafe or Qi2, it ought to connect and performance to various levels.
If you happen to purchase a MagSafe or Qi2-certified wi-fi charger, it’s best to be capable of use it to get the utmost 15-watt wi-fi charging pace if you’ve hooked up it to your telephone. This consists of charging docks and stands which additionally embrace MagSafe or Qi2 branding. If in case you have an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Professional, you will get sooner 25-watt charging utilizing a MagSafe charger that is linked to a 30-watt or sooner energy adapter.
If you happen to purchase a magnetic wi-fi charger that doesn’t specify whether or not it is MagSafe or Qi2-certified, that probably implies that whereas the charger will connect to your telephone, it can most likely cost on the authentic Qi customary that’s restricted to a 7.5-watt pace when utilizing it with an iPhone. Outcomes might differ when utilizing one with an Android telephone, since some telephones do assist 15-watt wi-fi charging over the prior Qi customary.
And in case you are shopping for a non-charging magnetic accent — like a pockets or a dock for utilizing your telephone as a webcam — that accent will probably work with any MagSafe suitable telephone no matter its branding. These equipment are created with the magnets contained in the telephone in thoughts and can largely connect no matter their certification. Nevertheless, I’ve seen — in my very own private expertise — that the power of the magnets can differ between accent makers. As an example, in case you are shopping for a magnetic grip, try it out a bit after shopping for to ensure it matches your wants such as you would a pair of sneakers, and do not destroy the field in case you resolve to return it.
Which iPhones are suitable with MagSafe?
Each iPhone that is been launched since 2020 — barring the iPhone SE line — is suitable with MagSafe and the Qi2 customary. This consists of the iPhone 12 line and later. The iPhone 11 just isn’t suitable with MagSafe, nevertheless it does work with the unique Qi wi-fi customary for charging. It simply will not be as quick nor contain magnets.
The HMD Skyline is among the first Android telephones with Qi2 assist, together with the power to make use of magnetic attachments.
Which Android telephones are suitable with MagSafe or Qi2 wi-fi charging?
The HMD Skyline is the primary Android telephone to assist the Qi2 wi-fi customary, with built-in magnets for attaching magnetic equipment. Exterior of that gadget although, you’ll be able to usually add a “MagSafe-like” expertise to an Android telephone utilizing magnetic circumstances that some accessory-makers create. As talked about earlier, Samsung and OnePlus are beginning to present first-party assist with magnetic circumstances, however there are sometimes third-party choices for including magnets to telephones that assist wi-fi charging.
Your success might differ vastly with these choices although, since you’d be utilizing MagSafe or Qi2 equipment with telephones that do not formally assist it. As talked about earlier, it’s best to deal with it like a pair of sneakers and be ready to return the accent in case you uncover it does not give you the results you want.
The AirPods 3 characteristic wi-fi charging with MagSafe.
Can I cost my Apple Watch or AirPods over MagSafe charging?
The Apple Watch doesn’t assist MagSafe charging: it makes use of a unique sort of magnetic wi-fi charger to refill its battery. Nevertheless Apple’s AirPods are rather more versatile, as relying on the mannequin you would possibly be capable of recharge with each an Apple Watch charger or utilizing a MagSafe suitable wi-fi charger.
All AirPods Professional circumstances assist Qi wi-fi charging utilizing a MagSafe charger or a regular Qi wi-fi charger. This additionally extends to the second- and third-generation customary AirPods circumstances. The brand new AirPods 4 with energetic noise cancellation and the AirPods Professional 2 each embrace Qi/MagSafe wi-fi charging and might use an Apple Watch charger. The usual AirPods 4 nonetheless lack wi-fi charging and as a substitute solely use wired USB-C charging.
What about MagSafe on Apple’s MacBook laptops?
MagSafe on Apple’s MacBook is separate from the road of MagSafe equipment for the iPhone. These proprietary laptop computer chargers — which briefly went into retirement when the MacBook line adopted USB-C charging — connect shortly to suitable MacBook laptops utilizing a magnet and might simply detach within the occasion the twine is unintentionally pulled from the laptop computer. That is significantly appropriate for anybody that tends to journey over an influence twine.
Ought to your MacBook embrace each a MagSafe port and USB-C ports, you’ll be able to select both technique for recharging your laptop computer. Simply do not attempt to slap an iPhone’s MagSafe charger in opposition to the pc, as that can do nothing.
