Last week there was a big leak that claimed Apple would be unveiling a new wireless charger alongside the iPhone 12. It's said to be some sort of magnetic charger that would see Apple resurrect the MagSafe brand.
Now, just hours before the iPhone 12 launch event, we’ve got a picture of it. It looks just like a giant version of the Apple Watch charger, and that shouldn’t be a massive surprise to anyone.
- iPhone 12 event: Everything you should expect to see
- Keep up with all the news as it happens with our iPhone 12 event live blog
- Plus: The best Amazon Prime Day deals right now
The imagery comes from Japanese company MPOW, which promises that its own charger supports the “new wireless charging mechanism called a charging position adjustment function that uses a magnet that will be installed in the new iPhone.”
That’s a bit wordy, but the meaning is clear. Especially when the description goes on to talk about a “ring-shaped magnet mechanism” around the iPhone 12’s wireless charging coil. We’ve already seen evidence of that in previous leaks, and it seems those magnets are there to better secure the phone to the charging pad.
The idea behind this seems to be that the magnets would pull the iPhone 12 to the same position every time you place it down to charge. That way you can’t put it in the wrong place and miss out on the recharge power. That’s where the MagSafe name would come in.
Weirdly MPOW claims that the charger may not support non-iPhone 12 devices. Obviously anyone with an iPhone 11 or Samsung Galaxy won’t be able to take advantage of the magnets, but you’d have thought it would still be a standard Qi charger.
Luckily we don’t have long to wait, and no doubt we’ll be hearing all about this new MagSafe charger and how it works later today. Follow our iPhone 12 event live blog to get all the news as it happens, including any other last-minute leaks.
