Apple is rumored to be continuing development on a reverse wireless-charging feature that would allow an iPhone to charge other devices, such as its AirPods.
Per 9to5Mac, the company is said to be working on an “advanced bilateral wireless charging technology” for a next-generation iPhone. The company originally intended to implement the functionality in the iPhone 14 Pro models, but it wasn’t “finalized in time.”
Apple us ansi said to be creating a “wireless power out” firmware version that would be the basis of the two-way wireless charging featuring.
In order to implement this, Apple needs to optimize aspects like charging speed, heat dissipation, and charging efficiency. Apple is designing a “special user interface” for bilateral wireless charging, which is similar to the interface used for MagSafe accessories.
Rumors of reverse wireless charging features (or bilateral wireless charging, as it’s sometimes known as) have surfaced several time over the past few years. Bilateral wireless charging was rumored to be an iPhone 11 feature ahead of the device’s launch, but it did not materialize. Rumors later suggested that Apple had abandoned the feature at the time because the charging efficiency did not match Apple’s requirements.
With the iPhone 12, an FCC filing hinted at reverse wireless charging capabilities that could be hidden inside the hardware. The rumor was somewhat strengthened with the launch of the MagSafe Battery Pack in 2021, wherein Apple somewhat demonstrated how its reverse wireless charging feature might work.
When attached to an iPhone magnetically, the MagSafe Battery Pack is able to charge using passthrough technology when the iPhone is plugged into a Lightning cable. Charging for AirPods and other devices could eventually work in the same way, connecting to the back of the iPhone and charging at the same time an iPhone does. Apple competitor Samsung has had a reverse wireless charging option for several years now, and it allows a Samsung smartphone to charge any Qi-based device, including another smartphone.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.