Background
In 2016, Apple released its annual new product, the MacBook Pro 2016, and shed some classic elements of the MacBook, including the Magsafe, which until then magnetically connected the power cord to the MacBook Pro, making charging the laptop’s battery easier than ever. The MagSafe power connector safely disconnects from the laptop when the power cable is under too much tension, helping to prevent the laptop from falling off the workbench.
Unexpectedly, during the iPhone 12 launch event, Apple announced that the new models feature the new MagSafe wireless charging, which provides more efficient charging when used in conjunction with specific accessories. That means MagSafe wireless charging can reach up to 15W and will be available in iPhone 12 models and above, and the technology is also available in a range of new MagSafe accessories to complement iPhone.
What is MagSafe?
By definition, MagSafe is a charging connection technology from Apple where the connector has a magnetic suction device that self-attaches or disengages under external force.
Below is the official description of “Made for Magsafe” from Apple official,
Official MagSafe technology simplifies your charging experience with seamless alignment and the fastest possible charge up to 15W for iPhone 12 or newer.
In fact, MagSafe wireless charging is an upgrade on Qi wireless charging technology, and to provide an even better wireless charging experience, Apple has included a magnetic module and a range of components in the iPhone 12 or newer that ensure any MagSafe accessory is recognised and correctly aligned and activates 15W fast charging.
MagSafe is currently mainly used on the following devices:
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Mini
How Magsafe Work on iPhone?
The iPhone 12 MagSafe see-through shows how it works. Apple has integrated the magnet module through a separately designed Charging Coil, which is also compatible with existing Qi wireless chargers, and has further optimised the magnet to automatically align and improve charging performance, resulting in 15W fast charging with “one touch”.
Magsafe Advantages:
- The MagSafe charger magnetically attaches to the magnetic ring on the back of the iPhone device, no need to plug in the data port and making it easier to use.
- The MagSafe is capable of delivering up to 15W of wireless charging power over 7.5W Qi wireless charging, and can be fully charged to nearly 50% in 30 minutes.
Can MagSafe Work on All iPhone Models?
The MagSafe Wireless Charger works with all Apple devices that support wireless charging (except Apple Watch), such as iPhone 8 and newer iPhone models, as well as AirPods, which support wireless charging.However, only the new iPhone 12 and above models, a total of 12 iPhone models, currently support 15W wireless charging. The rest of the models only support up to 7.5W wireless charging with the MagSafe wireless charger and do not support the magnetic suction function. For this reason, older iPhone models are best used with Qi wireless chargers or wired chargers, as older iPhone models cannot achieve the 15W fast charging of MagSafe.
Overall, Apple’s MagSafe charger is Qi wireless charging compatible and will wirelessly charge iPhone 8 or newer and AirPods with a wireless charging case, as well as any other phone that supports the Qi standard, including Android phones.
Made for Magsafe vs. Magsafe compatible
Made for MagSafe, or MFM certified, is Apple’s new accessory certification ecosystem for magnetic cases, car chargers, card cases and, in the future, magnetic accessories.Products with the MFM logo indicate that they have passed Apple’s standards, have a certified chip and multi-layer cable core, and are capable of safely charging 15W fast. “MFM” certified charging devices display the Apple Magnetic Charging UI animation when magnetically charging.
“MFM Certified”Aceessories
This is a licence for Apple Inc. to use the logo on external accessories produced by its authorised accessory manufacturers, who usually print the corresponding logo on the packaging. The main features of MFM certified wireless charger are:
- The “Made for MagSafe” certification mark is printed on the packaging, and it also states that it supports up to 15W fast charging.
- The magnetic part is the original MagSafe body, the serial number of the relevant chip can be found on Apple’s website.
- It will display the Apple Magnetic Charging UI animation when magnetically charging.
“Magsafe compatible” Aceessories
However, there are still a few manufacturers of Apple-approved MagSafe magnetic accessories, which are also relatively expensive. In addition, there are many factories that produce high quality magnetic wireless chargers for the magsafe, It is also called “Magsafe compatible”, and although the fast charging speed is not as fast as the 15W of the magsafe, it is worth considering if it is faster than the Qi charging speed at a reasonable price.
However, there are some manufacturers who, in order to save production costs, cater more to this function of magnetic suction and ignore factors such as its charging performance, which buyers need to identify when choosing products and manufacturers.
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