iPhone 12 suddenly had hardware features unlocked after updating to iOS 17.4

Qi2 is a next generation wireless charging technology based on MagSafe designed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). MagSafe offers charging speeds of up to 15W and was first introduced on the iPhone 12. Qi2 can achieve the full 15W output, while third-party wireless charging pads that are not MagSafe certified were previously limited to at maximum speed of 7.5W.

iPhone 12 suddenly had hardware features unlocked after updating to iOS 17.4 Picture 1

Last year, Apple launched the iOS 17.2 update, enabling 15W charging speeds with Qi2 wireless chargers on iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 through iOS 17.2. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 launched last year also supported Qi2 right at launch. Therefore, the iPhone 12 becomes the only iPhone model with MagSafe but does not have the ability to charge faster when using Qi2 accessories.

After testing and based on user reports, Macworld claims that iPhone 12 after updating to iOS 17.4 can charge at 15W when using a Qi2 wireless charger. Test results with the Anker Qi2 MagGo wireless charger show that the charging speed is equivalent to MagSafe.

Apple has stated that iOS 17.2 brings Qi2 support to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14. The iPhone 12 is not included in this list possibly because the iPhone 12's wireless charging technology is built on the original Qi standard and MagSafe before Qi2 was completed.

Marvin Fry

Update 30 March 2024