Video commentary: Apple’s rumored MagSafe battery pack with reverse wireless charging

Apple is believed to be working on a new battery pack for the iPhone 12 family that would use MagSafe technology and feature reverse Qi wireless charging. Our own Harris Craycraft has put together a little video discussing some of the pros and cons of the unreleased product.


STORY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • It would charge your iPhone 12 via MagSafe.
  • It’d simultaneously charge another device, like AirPods.
  • The magnetic accessory should’ve come out in 2020.
  • Apple could choose not to release it.

A magnetic battery pack for your iPhone

Apple is thought to be creating a brand new magnetic battery pack for the iPhone 12 rather than create an iPhone 12 version of the current Smart Battery Case. The product would incorporate MagSafe magnets to securely snap onto the back of your iPhone.

While it wouldn’t double as a full-on protective case, the accessory could support reverse wireless charging. The feature would enable customers to charge their AirPods or Apple Watch through the battery pack by resting any Qi-compliant device atop the battery pack.

Simultaneously, the battery pack would be capable of charging the iPhone’s internal battery. It might even be able to charge itself by taking energy wirelessly from the battery of a future iPhone (provided Apple chooses to implement such a feature down the road).

According to a recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the MagSafe magnets have proved strong enough for the battery pack to stay in place, which is good news. Bad news: Several software issues could delay the product or prompt Apple to not release it at all.