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The iPhone 16 has a big upgrade Apple didn’t talk about

The iPhone 16 Pro on display at Apple Park.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

During this week’s “It’s Glowtime” event, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 series and its many new features. However, as this latest news confirms, it didn’t disclose all the details about the new handsets.

According to ShrimpApplePro, certification documents confirm that the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max all support up to 45-watt wired fast charging. This is a notable step up from previous iPhones, which maxed out at 27W to 29W. The new certification comes from the China Quality Certification Centre.

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Apple does not mention the 45W number anywhere on its website. Instead, it promises that the new phones can be charged withup to 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter “or higher” when paired with a USB-C charging cable OR a 30W adapter or higher when paired with a MagSafe charger. It’s important to note that the adapters need to be purchased separately.

The Camera Control on the iPhone 16.
Apple

Before the announcement of the iPhone 16 series, we heard rumors about improved battery specs, at least for the iPhone 16 Pro series. At the time, rumors suggested 40W wired charging was possible.

While 45W charging is a step in the right direction, it’s still dwarfed by other phones like the OnePlus 12, which offers 80W wired charging.

The iPhone 16 series will be available for sale starting tomorrow, September 13, with the first orders being shipped one week later on September 20. These phones offer several new features, including all-new chips, a new Camera Control feature, new colors, and more. Camera improvements are also coming to all four models.

Apple also announced the AirPods 4, a somewhat updated AirPods Max, and new AirPods Pro features at this week’s event.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
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