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Apple could finally bring reverse wireless charging to iPhones, leaker Fixed Focus Digital claims.
The technology enables a smartphone to use the charging coil at the back to not only charge itself, but also to charge other devices placed on top of it. Android phones from Google, Samsung, and others have had the feature for quite some time, while Apple has been rumored to be working on it since 2019's iPhone 11.
It might finally arrive on the iPhone 17 Pro, Fixed Focus Digital says in a Weibo post, adding that Apple has already completed initial tests. The same rumor popped up in February as well. At the time, leaker Instant Digital said Apple was considering 7.5W reverse charging for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. These phones may, in turn, juice up Apple accessories like the AirPods, Apple Watch, and MagSafe Battery Pack—which is expected to make a comeback to support the low-capacity battery of the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
Notably, as MacRumors reports, Apple has offered wired reverse charging before. The iPhone 12 and later could reverse-charge the MagSafe Battery Pack when connected using a Lightning cable. We won't have to wait too long to see if iPhones get the wireless version. The iPhone 17 series is expected to arrive in the second week of September.
The upcoming iPhones are also tipped to receive the new 25W Qi2 wireless charging standard. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for comparison, supports 15W Qi2 standard and maxes out at 25W when paired with a 30W or higher adapter. With the iPhone 17's new charging tech, the same adapter could offer much higher wireless charging speeds.