Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

MagSafe charging is back, and this time it’s for the iPhone 12

Andy Boxall
By

Apple has introduced new MagSafe for iPhone wireless charging on the iPhone 12 range, reviving an old brand name last seen on MacBook laptops, and going some way toward solving the problem of positioning your phone on a wireless charging plinth correctly. Not only that, but Apple also claims to be building a new ecosystem of accessories around it.

On a MacBook back in the day, the MagSafe charger cable would magnetically snap into place on the laptop’s body, ensuring both a strong connection and a safety release if it was tugged on. If you tripped over the cable, it didn’t yank the plug out and potentially damage the computer, but simply released its magnetic hold to disconnect safely.

Related Videos

MagSafe for iPhone isn’t quite the same thing, as the technology is built into accessories, rather than the phone itself. Magnets inside a wireless charging plinth — similar to the ones you get with an Apple Watch — clamp on to the back of the iPhone 12 when it’s inside a special case, and hold in the right spot to activate the wireless charging. Anyone who has shifted their phone around on a wireless charging plinth will know there’s a sweet spot, and if you don’t get it right, the phone doesn’t charge. This seems to solve that issue.

Related

Apple has not only added the MagSafe technology into a series of cases, it has also added it into a snap-on leather wallet, and a leather pouch-style case with a window to let you check the time without having to remove the phone. Third-party manufacturers will also be able to make accessories that use the MagSafe for iPhone features, and Belkin is one of the first on the scene with a car mount and a multidevice dock. Apple also has a dock that will house the iPhone and the Apple Watch.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
I love the Galaxy S23 — here are 5 things the iPhone still does better
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 has arrived to the masses, and it’s one of the best Android phones you can get right now, especially the S23 Ultra. However, for those who don’t need all of the fancy bells and whistles, like the S Pen and 200MP main camera, the regular S23 is also plenty powerful for the average person, especially if you prefer smaller devices.

I’ve been using the Galaxy S23 for the past few weeks, and so far, my experience has been delightful. I know that it’s still early on in the year, but for me, the S23’s small size is perfect and comfortable. Android also does a lot of things better than iOS, like individual volume controls and notifications, for example. But I am still primarily using my iPhone 14 Pro — despite Apple having some big flaws, such as overprocessing images after you capture them.

Read more
The Pixel 8 just leaked, and it has one big thing I can’t wait for
Google Pixel 8 in depicted in white.

For another year, Google’s next-gen phones are out in the wild months ahead of their grand reveal at a fancy event. Just a day ago, the Pixel 8 Pro was unceremoniously leaked, and now, the standard Pixel 8 has also received the same treatment. OnLeaks and MySmartPrice have shared reported renders and a 360-degree video depicting the upcoming Google phone from all angles.
The design changes are subtle, but easy on the eyes. Just like the Pixel 8 Pro, the corners are once again more rounded on the Pixel 8. The frame is metallic, and there’s a horizontal camera strip at the back with a metallic luster on top. Akin to the Pixel 7, we get two cameras on the Pixel 8, sitting in a pill-shaped cutout.

Another small aesthetic tweak is the earpiece grill at the top, which is now more prominent than what we saw on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. If the current-gen Pixels are any indication, the Pixel 8 is going to offer an excellent in-hand feel. Talking about in-hand feel, though, it appears that Google is once again pandering to the small phone loyalists.

Read more
5 things we’d love to see at Google I/O 2023 (but probably won’t)
Google Pixel Watch on a wrist.

Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O, kicks off on May 10. Don't let the words "developer conference" put you off, though, as Google I/O is one of the biggest and most exciting shows of the year.

We've already covered what we expect to see at Google I/O 2023, and that list includes the Pixel 7a, Android 14, and even a Google Pixel Fold. But although those are all things we're really looking forward to and expecting to see, there are a number of reveals we'd also love to happen ... but are extremely unlikely to appear on the grand stage.

Read more