A previous FCC filing hinted at the iPhone 12’s reverse charging capability but it took months for the first chargeable product to arrive.
Apple kept at least one of the capabilities of its iPhone 12 quiet for months, but reverse wireless charging has since been revealed in an Apple support document, confirming earlier suspicions. This means not only can the iPhone 12 be charged wirelessly with a MagSafe or Qi charger, but it can also charge other devices wirelessly. So far this ability is quite limited, but might be expanded in the future. Apple does have a tendency to plan ahead and include technology in its devices, even when the related product is months or even years from release.
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There were indications in 2020 that the iPhone 12 might be able to reverse wireless charge an AirTag or future versions of AirPods. While this never happened, it turns out that Apple simply hadn’t made use of the iPhone 12’s full capabilities yet. With the release of the MagSafe Battery Pack in July 2021 however, that changed.
Apple published a support document about this new device, as discovered by 9to5Mac. The accessory has a Lightning port and it can be charged separately, but it’s also possible to attach it using the MagSafe connection to an iPhone 12 — and both will charge at the same time. Although reverse wireless is not specifically mentioned, in this arrangement, the iPhone is plugged into a Lightning cable and draws power to replenish the internal battery while the MagSafe Battery Pack is simultaneously charged wirelessly.
Uses Of iPhone 12’s Reverse Wireless Charging
Another example is when backing up an iPhone to a Mac. In both of these cases, when a MagSafe Battery Pack is attached, it can be charged while using the iPhone with a connected device. It seems unlikely that Apple would include this technology for use with just one compatible accessory, so there might be more products coming that can take advantage of the iPhone’s newfound skill.
Based on the FCC filing, the iPhone 12 should be capable of supplying up to 5W of wireless power. This isn’t fast charging, but it’s close to the 7.5W speeds iPhone users get when using a Qi charger. Future versions of the AirTag might come with rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, Apple did mention various form factors for its tracking tags in a patent document.
Unfortunately, the story is exactly the same with the newer iPhone series. All iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models work the same with Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack, but offer no reverse wireless charging capabilities beyond that. In other words, it’s another generation of iPhones that technically support reverse wireless charging — just in a very limited way. It’s a surprising omission on Apple’s part, especially given that the company sells accessories like the AirPods and Apple Watch which charge wirelessly. For users invested in Apple’s ecosystem, the ability to reverse wireless charge other accessories with an iPhone seems like a no-brainer.
In the meantime, iPhone 12 users have three ways to charge their phones. They can charge it using a Lightning cable, a Qi-compatible wireless charger, or using MagSafe. The iPhone 12 was the first iPhone to come with MagSafe charging. The wireless charger attaches magnetically to the back of an iPhone (or compatible case) and can be used to charge it at up to 15W speeds with a 20W or higher adapter, which is twice as fast as conventional wireless charging.
How Reverse Wireless Charging Could Work On iPhone
iPads can already wirelessly charge an Apple Pencil by magnetically attaching it to the top, but the patent suggests it might be possible to do that by placing it on the display. The display of future iPhones and iPads could have a wireless charging coil underneath, along with magnets to secure the accessory in place.
While it’s certainly an intriguing solution, patented technology can take years to come to commercial products. Apple’s notorious for taking its sweet time with rolling out new features to the iPhone, and in the case of reverse wireless charging, it appears that strategy is no different.
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