The iOS 17.4 update has brought a significant enhancement to the iPhone 12's wireless charging speed, now allowing it to charge wirelessly at speeds of up to 15W. Initially, while the iPhone 12 could charge wirelessly at 15W speeds, this was limited to 7.5W when using third-party accessories. With the introduction of the new Qi2 standard, which is based on MagSafe technology, users can now wirelessly charge their phones at 15W speeds.
Upon the launch of the iPhone 12 series, Apple introduced its new MagSafe technology, and at that time, users could charge their devices on any Qi-certified charging device. With the release of the iOS 17.4 update, the wireless charging speed of the iPhone 12 has been increased through Qi2-certified wireless chargers, bringing it to the same level as Apple's current flagships. However, the company will not bring Qi2 speeds to older iPhone models.
The inability to use faster wireless charging on iPhone models older than the iPhone 12 may be related to MagSafe technology. Older iPhone models lack the MagSafe feature, which consists of concentrically arranged magnets on the back of the iPhone that allow accessories and chargers to securely attach to the back of the device. This indicates that iPhone 11 and older models with wireless charging capability cannot use the Qi2 standard.
Apple explicitly stated that iOS 17.2 brought Qi2 support to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14, but had not made such a claim about iOS 17.4 and the iPhone 12. However, tests conducted by Macworld have shown that the iPhone 12, following the iOS 17.4 update, charges at 15W speeds when using Qi2 chargers, marking a significant improvement in wireless charging performance for this model.
