5G Apple iPhone 12 might get MagSafe battery pack with reverse wireless charging

According to Twitter tipster Jon Prosser, Apple is working on two MagSafe battery packs for the iPhone 12 series. MagSafe accessories use a magnet embedded in the back of the iPhone to attach the device to MagSafe cases, wallets, and a charger. Prosser said on the Genius Bar Podcast on Monday that his sources are telling him that one of the MagSafe battery packs will be a premium unit that supports reverse wireless charging.

With reverse wireless charging, the battery inside a phone, in this case an iPhone, would be used to help charge up a compatible device. A filing made by Apple last year showed that the iPhone 12 "supports a built-in inductive charging transmitter and receiver" that would allow that phone to share some of its battery life with devices that support Qi wireless charging. Apple has reportedly wanted a way for AirPods users to quickly share the battery inside an iPhone to replenish the battery using the in-ear accessory's wireless charging case. In fact, Apple has supposedly looked at creating a product that would allow an Apple Watch, an iPhone, and AirPods to have the capability to charge each other.

Huawei debuted the feature with 2018's Mate 20 Pro and the following year Samsung started to integrate it into its flagship models under the Wireless Power Share moniker. There was talk about Apple including the feature in its 2019 iPhone 11 series, but that wasn't the case even though prescient TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the feature was coming and Apple's supply chain seemed to confirm it. Those in the know say that Apple made a last second decision not to include it in the final version of that year's handset.

Prosser says that it hasn't been decided by Apple whether it wants to release both a premium MagSafe battery pack with reverse wireless charging and a regular version without this feature, or just one of the two aforementioned models. Some prototypes of the MagSafe battery pack have sported a white rubber exterior according to those familiar with the project.

Apple has not said anything about working on a MagSafe battery pack although the second iOS 14.5 developer beta mentions a battery pack for a MagSafe device. A couple of weeks ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman mentioned that Apple was working on a magnetic battery pack for the iPhone but was encountering software problems including one that gave iPhone users a warning that their device was overheating even though in reality that was not the case. Speaking of cases, Apple is also trying to figure out how a MagSafe battery pack could be adjusted for customers who continually switch between using and not using a case on their iPhone.

Apple is wary about introducing any accessory that has to with charging. That is because of the legend of AirPower. The wireless charging mat would allow an iPhone, an Apple Watch and the AirPods wireless charging case to be wirelessly charged simultaneously. It soon became known as Apple's longest vaporware product and was finally cancelled 562 days after the wireless charging pad was announced.

Apple's wearables and accessories made up $13 billion or 12% of Apple's total revenue last quarter and a MagSafe battery pack could prove to be a winner with or without reverse wireless charging. Apple is reportedly looking to add a new MagSafe product for in-car use, but nothing official has been hinted at. The buzz around the water cooler says that Apple will add the MagSage technology to redesigned MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models coming out later this year. For clumsy device owners, an accidental yank of the power cable will detach the power cord from the laptop instead of knocking the MacBook to the floor.