Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack Unlocks Long Rumored Reverse Charging Feature

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack designed for the iPhone 12 models has a unique feature that's long been rumored but never introduced in an Apple product -- reverse wireless charging.

magsafe battery pack 2
When attached to an ‌iPhone‌ that's charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ can deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which is the first instance of an ‌iPhone‌ being able to route power to an accessory device.

We've long heard rumors of reverse wireless charging capabilities for the ‌iPhone‌, a feature that's been talked about as a possibility for both the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and the ‌iPhone‌ 12. Apple hasn't actually implemented reverse wireless charging until now, and the way that it works with the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌ is limited in scope.

With the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌, the ‌iPhone‌ has to be plugged in for the charging feature to work, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and hints at more expansive reverse wireless charging capabilities in the future. Given the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌'s reverse wireless charging feature, it seems technically possible that an ‌iPhone‌ 12 could deliver power to the AirPods or AirPods Pro, but Apple has not yet implemented this feature.

Apple has suggested that ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌ users might want to use the ‌iPhone‌ passthrough charging feature when the ‌iPhone‌ is connected to a power source like wired CarPlay and is able to charge both accessories.

Popular Stories

sonny iphone 16 pro colors

All Four iPhone 16 Pro Colors Revealed in New Image

Friday August 16, 2024 4:14 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson is back today with a new dummy unit image showing all four iPhone 16 Pro color variants, including the rose gold or "bronze" unit that replaces Blue Titanium in the existing iPhone 15 Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to come in black, white or silver, gray or "Natural Titanium," and a rose or rose gold color replacing Blue Titanium, according to Apple...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

When Is the iPhone 16 Coming Out?

Wednesday August 14, 2024 6:20 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 16 series is expected to debut in September 2024. This release follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. While the exact date has yet to be officially confirmed, the day of Tuesday, September 10 has been rumored as a possible announcement date, and September has traditionally been the month when Apple unveils its latest smartphone innovations. ...
maxresdefault

Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

Wednesday August 14, 2024 11:30 am PDT by
Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a...
M4 Mac mini Silver Ortho Cooler

These New Macs Are Coming in 2024

Thursday August 15, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
It's almost September, but Apple still has multiple new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 models and Apple Watches are coming in September, and we're also going to get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors. Here's what's on the horizon. MacBook Pro Apple plans to refresh both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4 chips. The ...
T Mobile Generic Feature Pink 1

United States Fines T-Mobile $60 Million for Failing to Prevent Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Customer Data

Thursday August 15, 2024 1:32 pm PDT by
T-Mobile was fined $60 million by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for negligence surrounding data breaches, reports Reuters. CFIUS penalized T-Mobile for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. When T-Mobile merged with Sprint, it signed a national security agreement with CFIUS, which is what led to the fine earlier this year....

Top Rated Comments

szw-mapple fan Avatar
41 months ago
Does this mean I can eventually use the iPhone mini as a MagSafe Battery for a Pro Max? :p
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
41 months ago
I’m surprised the rumors were actually true. Hopefully they enable reverse charging for AirPods though I’m not holding my breath.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arn Avatar
41 months ago

I knew it. This thing has no port.
no, you can plug the battery into the Battery Pack and charge it that way too. And it will also charge the iPhone at the same time. so it goes both ways.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212174

Charge your MagSafe Battery Pack

Before you use your MagSafe Battery Pack for the first time, fully charge it using a Lightning to USB cable with a 20W or higher power adapter.

1. Plug one end of a Lightning to USB cable into the Lightning connector on your MagSafe Battery Pack.
2. Plug the other end of the cable into a 20W or higher USB power adapter, then plug the adapter into a power outlet.
3. You'll see an amber status light while your MagSafe Battery Pack is charging. When the MagSafe Battery Pack is fully charged, you'll briefly see a green status light.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
41 months ago
$100 for a bulge that has less than half the phone’s capacity.

much less money can buy high quality battery packs with substantially higher capacity, and will charge other things
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
41 months ago
and the "bulge" is the easiest bulge to put on and take off ever.

if you have plenty of charge in your iphone, don't put it on.

if you are running out of power. put it on.

in this respect much more flexible than the smart case from apple which i loved on my iphone 11.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Black.Infinity Avatar
41 months ago
As always Apple limits things by its software. Unfortunately I still love iOS.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)