Apple surprised in the year 2020 with the resurrection of MagSafe in its iPhone, after eliminating it from the Mac. This function has provided the iPhone with numerous features such as improved wireless charging and even the new accessories that have been included. In this article we tell you everything you need to know about MagSafe.
MagSafe in the past
Any user who has owned an older Mac computer has certainly had the experience of having a MagSafe charger. Now they have wanted to revive this function in the iPhone to implement new functions when it comes to recharging and even to use accessories. For those who do not have a very good memory, in the past on Macs it was really difficult for the charger to be disconnected from the laptop. This security measure allowed the charging cable to be attached to the computer magnetically. In this way, at any time he could put the computer to recharge without having to see the port since it was docked by attraction. In addition, this convenience prevented that with a small pull on the cable it could be disconnected to prevent the laptop from ending up on the ground.
From Apple they retired MagSafe in their last computers to implement the USB-C port, something that saddened many users due to the comfort that it had associated with it. But now they have decided to implement a magnet technology that was believed to be outdated in their latest mobile devices.
MagSafe Operation
As we say, MagSafe is not something new for Apple. In addition to Macs, these magnets can be seen on iPad Pro in the second-generation Apple Pencil docking area. It has also been clearly seen in the Magic Keyboard docking on the iPad, preventing the device from falling off the support, maintaining the fact that it is ‘floating’.
That is why a combination of magnets, a wireless charging coil and different protectors have been integrated right at the back of the company’s iPhone. This is vital to be able to use compatible accessories as we will see, as well as a much more optimized wireless charging thanks to the new chargers that have been launched in the official store.
Compatible iPhone
Not all iPhones from the brand include these magnets around the wireless charging coil. Obviously, it is limited to the most current iPhones that exist right now on the market and it will begin to be implemented in the future surely if users end up using it and find a use for it, which right now it does. Specifically, the iPhones that include MagSafe are the following:
- iPhone 12 Pro Max.
- iPhone 12 Pro.
- iPhone 12.
- iPhone 12 mini.
At the moment there is no way to implement this technology externally. It is necessary to have the appropriate hardware in the charging coil which is something really complex and cannot be achieved in an easy way with a simple accessory.
Use of accessories
The question anyone can ask is: what use will MagSafe be put to? Apple has thought as a first option to be able to use different accessories that are magnetically attached to the rear. One of these is a leather wallet that can be attached to always carry bank cards or documentation with the iPhone or some money in a quite comfortable way. In addition, it does not mean that a cover can be put on top to prevent the cards that cannot fall.
And speaking of the covers, some have been designed that are intended for MagSafe. Thanks to the magnetic attraction, placing the case will become an extremely simple task by simply bringing the iPhone closer to the case. Once it has been hooked, it will be difficult for them to accidentally release thanks to the good attraction that exists. In this way, even if the iPhone falls, the case will rarely separate from it. Obviously, the door is also left open for third-party manufacturers to develop their own accessories and covers that complement those presented by Apple.
Wireless charging improvements
Without a doubt one of the most interesting aspects of MagSafe are the improvements in the field of wireless charging. More and more users decide to charge with this induction system by treating the battery better by not generating as much heat as if it does the fast charge. But this charging system is not perfect, as the coils must always be very well aligned to improve efficiency and this is not an easy thing to do when quickly charging on a traditional base. That is why Apple has developed a new charger that is magnetically attached to the coils of the iPhone. In this way the alignment is always perfect to offer a much more efficient load, and therefore, much faster.
As with the Qi charging bases, with the MagSafe charger it is not necessary to remove the cover from the device in any case since it is capable of transmitting energy by induction in the same way. In addition, the iPhone can be used in hand while it is charging since it should not always be in the same position to start charging thanks to magnetism.