iOS 17.4 Silently Upgrades The Wireless Charging Speed of The Three-Year-Old iPhone 12

Earlier this month, Apple released a major update for iOS on the iPhone. This update, known as iOS 17.4, introduced several new features for users in the EU, including the ability to sideload apps and install third-party app stores. Despite these changes, Apple also made sure to include some updates for users in the North American market, specifically for those with an iPhone 12. It was recently discovered that the three-year-old iPhone has received a wireless charging speed upgrade, with Qi2 support now available.

Upgrade to iOS 17.4 on iPhone 12 for Lightning-Fast 15W Wireless Charging with Qi2-Certified Chargers

For those who are not familiar, the iPhone 12 had the capability to be wirelessly charged at 15W speeds, but third-party accessories were limited to 7.5W charging. However, the recent release of the new Qi2 standard by the Wireless Power Consortium, which utilizes MagSafe technology, now allows users to fully charge their devices at 15W speeds. The introduction of MagSafe by Apple coincided with the launch of the iPhone 12 lineup, allowing users to conveniently charge their devices on any Qi-certified charger.

With the recent release of iOS 17.4, Apple has discreetly enhanced the wireless charging speed for the iPhone 12 when used with Qi2-certified wireless chargers. This brings the device’s charging capabilities up to par with the latest flagship models from Apple. While this update was expected due to the company’s previous upgrades for the iPhone 13 and 14 series, it is important to note that older iPhone models will not receive the same Qi2 charging speeds.

The absence of MagSafe technology is the main factor preventing older iPhone models, such as the iPhone 11 and earlier, from having access to faster wireless charging. MagSafe, a feature that utilizes magnets arranged in a concentric circle behind the device, allows for secure attachment of accessories and chargers. Therefore, it can be inferred that these older models will not be compatible with the Qi2 standard for wireless charging.

This also allows Android smartphone manufacturers to incorporate MagSafe-like technology in their upcoming smartphones by implementing the Qi2 standard. Based on experiments carried out by Macworld, the iPhone 12 is capable of achieving 15W wireless charging rates when using Qi2 chargers after updating to iOS 17.4. Although Apple did not explicitly mention this change in the release notes for iOS 17.4, we are pleased that they have improved the wireless charging speeds.