Sneaky iPhone battery upgrade spotted by fans lets you charge 50% faster with easy cable swap that Apple didn’t announce
THE whole iPhone 16 lineup boasts faster charging than any Apple smartphone before – but the detail has largely gone under the radar.
Information continues to crop up on the heels of Apple‘s Glowtime event, where the firm unveiled its latest lineup of smartphones, watches, and AirPods.
Among the most anticipated announcements was the iPhone 16 lineup, which debuted with splashy new colors and a helping of AI features.
And there’s more. All the new iPhone models will be able to charge more than 50% faster through a wired USB-C connection than their predecessors.
The information comes courtesy of a Weibo post indicating that Apple’s latest iPhones can support up to 45W of wired fast charging.
The firm switched to USB-C chargers in 2023 with the release of the iPhone 15, replacing the Lightning port and bringing a higher power delivery rate.
Known leaker WHYLAB was the first to post screengrabs of a listing from the China Quality Certification Center, a regulatory body that sets product standards.
The “W” stands for “watts” and, in simple terms, denotes how much energy a charger can push toward a phone at once.
The higher the wattage, the more power it can deliver within a certain time range.
Larger devices typically have chargers with a higher watt value that correspond to their bigger batteries. Such is the case with the new iPhones.
This explains why, among other reasons, a smartphone charger isn’t compatible with a laptop.
The development means the newest iPhones come with a perk that wasn’t explicitly spelled out at the event: faster charging.
The certification shows all the new iPhone 16 models were tested at 5-15 volts and 3 amps, equal to a 45W upper limit.
To put this into perspective, the iPhone 15 lineup maxed out at 29W.
Higher wattage puts the iPhone 16 on track to match or outpace its competitors.
The 45W maximum beats the Google Pixel 9’s 27W max, or 37W for the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
It ties with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and, according to a different filing, the upcoming S25 Ultra.
That leaked listing divulges Samsung‘s latest flagship phone will also boast satellite connectivity.
Rather than grounded cell towers, users can connect to satellites orbiting the Earth, affording them cell service even in remote areas.
In this case, Samsung is following in Apple’s footsteps.
The California-based tech giant was among the first to offer emergency satellite calling, free on the iPhone 14 or later for two years.
The so-called Satellite SOS feature forwards a user’s text and location to the nearest emergency service.
If they can’t receive text messages, “Apple-trained emergency specialists” at relay centers call in on their behalf.
Apple's official MagSafe guidelines
Here's the official advice as quoted directly from Apple's support memo...
- Your MagSafe Charger is designed for faster and most efficient charging with iPhone 15 models, iPhone 14 models, iPhone 13 models, iPhone 12 models, and Apple MagSafe accessories.
- When charging a non-MagSafe Qi-compatible device with a MagSafe Charger, power is reduced and charge times may be slower than on a typical Qi charger.
- Don’t place credit cards, security badges, passports, or key fobs between your iPhone and MagSafe Charger, because this might damage magnetic strips or RFID chips in those items.
- If you have a case that holds any of these sensitive items, remove them before charging or make sure that they aren’t between the back of your device and the charger.
- If your iPhone is connected to both a MagSafe Charger and power via a Lightning port, your iPhone will charge via the Lightning connector.
- As with other wireless chargers, your iPhone or MagSafe Charger might get slightly warmer while your iPhone charges. To extend the lifespan of your battery, if the battery gets too warm, software might limit charging above 80 percent.
- If you keep your iPhone in a leather case while charging with your MagSafe Charger, the case might show circular imprints from compression of the leather. This is normal, but if you’re concerned about this, we suggest using a non-leather case.