The newly launched iPhone 17 series supports 40W wired charging, a decent upgrade over the previous generations which supported 27W wired charging. It is still very low compared to other smartphone makers which offer 65W, 90W, and even 125W wired charging speeds (looking at you moto). But considering the fact that Apple moves slowly, it is a welcome upgrade.
The newer Apple charger (which does not come in the box, of course) supports faster 40W charging speeds while retaining the same size as the previous version(s). While many charger / accessory makers have moved to GaN-type chargers which allows manufacturers to pack more punch in a smaller package, Apple is still sticking to the traditional charging mechanism. The company will likely switch to GaN type chargers in 2028 or 2029 when the technology is a bit more stable and known in the industry.
Motorola smartphone support upto 125W wired charging
Apple is known for being late to the party but usually when it enters the market, it offers something innovative. The company is known for adding something unique with its technology-type introductions, the GaN chargers from Apple could have multi-device support which is very essential in the Apple ecosystem, as Apple device users typically have more than one Apple device (likely 3 on average).
For now, the iPhone 17 series sticks to a decent 40W USB-C powered wired charging. While the phone support wireless MagSafe charging, as expected, it is slower compared to wired charging. The smartphone industry has advanced in terms of wireless charging as well, for example moto, OnePlus, and Xiaomi (some specific devices) support 50W wireless charging which is faster than Apple’s wired charging.
It has also been long-rumoured that Apple would ditch the USB-C altogether in the future for a completely portless iPhone. Well, that future could be close by, with the introduction of the iPhone Air, Apple is once again setting its eyes on bringing striking new designs to its devices. In the future, the company could consider going completely portless with a future generation of the iPhone Air.
It has been reported that the iPhone Air will likely not be renewed every single year, limiting its refresh to likely every two years. If that is the case, to push for an even thinner iPhone Air with a silicon carbide battery, Apple could go with a portless design with wireless charging support through MagSafe.
