Apple, surprisingly, has just activated wireless reverse charging on the iPhone 12. This means that your phone can serve as a charger for other devices. Or rather, for another device, because the function is limited to charging the company’s external MagSafe battery only.

When it came to the hands of specialized websites to fix iPhone 12 and 12 Pro devices (such as iFix It), many realized that the new MagSafe magnetic accessory coupling system not only allows the iPhone to charge at a faster speed, thanks to better alignment of wireless charging coils. Apple also integrated the items needed to serve as a charging surface for the phone itself.

Common Android

This feature, commonly referred to as wireless reverse charging, is used by some Huawei or Samsung Android phones to charge small accessories, such as wireless headphones or other phones, resting on the back of the device and a charging source as an internal battery.

But despite incorporating all the elements needed to provide a similar feature, Apple has never activated the reverse charge on the iPhone 12.
Initially, it was thought that this feature could come with a software update, but at this point, a few months after the release of the next iPhone models, it seems unlikely.

More autonomy

The only device that can take advantage of this, therefore, will be the new external battery that Apple has unexpectedly launched, the MagSafe battery. On sale for 109 euros, this battery attaches magnetically to the back of the device, just like other MagSafe accessories. It has a lightning port to connect to the power and charge the connected iPhone.
The strange thing is that the external battery itself can also be charged if you connect the Lightning cable directly to the phone.

"You can also charge both devices if you connect the MagSafe battery to your iPhone and then connect your iPhone to a power source. You may want to charge this way if you need to connect your iPhone to another device, such as using a CarPlay cable. or transferring photos to a Mac, ”the company explains in a technical document.

The MagSafe battery is capable of charging the iPhone battery with a power of 15W if you use a source of 20W or more. If used as an external battery without connecting power, it will charge the iPhone at 5W (lowest charging power). If a reverse charge is used, the battery will start charging if the phone is fully charged to 80%.

Apple doesn’t mention the battery capacity, but most likely, considering the text printed on the product, it’s possible to have two 1460 mAh cells. Considering the voltages chosen for the charging process, the battery is likely to double the battery life of the iPhone 12 Mini, with a battery life of approximately 12% for the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro and 50% for the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The MagSafe Wireless Charger has the perfect magnets to instantly connect to your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro for faster wireless charging of up to 15W. The MagSafe charger is still Qi compatible. So you can use your iPhone 8 or newer and AirPods to charge wirelessly, just like any other Qi-certified charger.