iPhone 15 could unlock faster wireless charging for everyone

Apple has a major change in store for the iPhone 15 when it comes to charging. That’s because Apple is all but guaranteed to change the charging port for the first time since the iPhone 5. Switching from Lightning to USB-C might not be the only charging change in store, however.

A new rumor claims that the iPhone 15 could unlock faster wireless charging without limitations. Specifically, Apple may be planning to eliminate the wireless charging speed limit on Qi (wireless) chargers that are not certified with the company.

Apple currently supports up to 15W wireless charging with newer iPhones when used with MagSafe chargers. Wireless chargers from brands without the right certification, however, have always been limited to 5W-7.5W. This limitation makes wireless charging slower than wired charging for otherwise capable wireless chargers that haven’t been approved by Apple.

Apple first brought wireless charging to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X in 2017, although wireless charging speeds lagged far behind wired charging. Starting with the iPhone 12, Apple cranked up wireless charging speeds to the current 15W limit.

Apple’s MagSafe technology on iPhone helps enable more efficient wireless charging with the use of magnets to properly align wireless charging coils in place. In fact, Apple’s MagSafe technology is serving as the foundation for the next generation of wireless charging across the industry with Qi2.

Regardless of whether or not this rumor pans out, the biggest charging story for iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro will be the change from Apple’s Lightning connector to the industry standard USB-C connector. Apple already uses USB-C on iPads and Mac computers.

Speaking of USB-C, Apple was briefly rumored to be planning to limit charging speeds with the new connector to only certified brands. That limit isn’t likely to see the light of day, however, as regulators have already expressed dissatisfaction with the idea.

Perhaps the same regulatory bodies are inspiring Apple to stop gating wireless charging speeds through certification as well.

Any improvement to wireless charging on iPhone is welcome. If nothing else, the technology seems more secure in public places than plugging in with public chargers.

Would this change make the iPhone 15 more appealing to you, or should Apple go beyond the current 15W wireless charging limit? Voice your thoughts in the comments.