iPhone 12 reportedly gets Qi2 charging support with iOS 17.4

Apple has reportedly updated the iPhone 12 series to support faster wireless charging when magnetically attached to non-MagSafe Qi2 chargers, according to reports. Macworld.

Despite no official announcement from Apple, the latest iOS 17.4 update is said to have enabled Qi2 support for the iPhone 12.

The report suggests that iPhone 12 devices can now reach full 15W wireless charging speeds with non-MagSafe Qi2 magnetic chargers, a feature previously thought to be exclusive to new iPhone models.

Previously, the use of wireless chargers without MagSafe certification limited charging speeds to a slower 7.5W.

from Macworld Tests show that iPhone 12 series phones running iOS 17.4 match the charging speed of Apple-certified MagSafe chargers when magnetically connected to non-MagSafe Qi2 chargers, even displaying the signature 15W charging animation.

Extended Support

While the iPhone 15 series was the first to officially support Qi2, Apple extended this support to the iPhone 13 and 14 series with the iOS 17.2 update.

However, the increase in 15W wireless charging speeds only applies to the standard iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models, with the iPhone 12 Mini featuring 12W wireless charging.

Introduced at CES 2024, Qi2, which succeeds the widespread Qi standard, offers improved efficiency and integrates magnetic alignment inspired by MagSafe technology, with Apple contributing significantly to its development by sharing MagSafe specifications with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).

Ongoing uncertainty

The report highlighted that Apple did not include iPhone 12 compatibility with Qi2 chargers in the iOS 17.4 release notes.

Additionally, conflicting information from accessory manufacturers such as Belkin and Anker adds to the confusion. While Belkin claims iPhone 12 compatibility with Qi2 chargers, Anker's stance varies between different product listings.

Clarifications from Apple on iPhone 12 Qi2 compatibility are eagerly awaited.

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