MagSafe on the iPhone 12 family has been particularly useful for wallets and charging stations, but Apple is apparently ready to expand the features in smart directions. Bloomberg sources claim Apple is developing a MagSafe battery pack that will charge your iPhone 12 (and probably future iPhones) wirelessly. Unlike previous Apple batteries, this will not be a case – not necessarily as elegant, but useful if you have a preference and sometimes just need a boost.
Apple declined to comment, but developer Steve Moser noticed that the iOS 14.5 beta temporarily refers to a battery.
Whether this is moving forward is not clear. The prototype battery add-on apparently remains in place, but currently has issues with false warnings for overheating, as well as switching between a ‘naked’ iPhone and a case. Glitches like these are not unheard of for hardware development, but it’s apparently enough that Apple can slow down or cancel the project. Remember, Apple eventually scrapped AirPower, despite it being announced on stage. It may have little reservations about snatching an external battery that has not made an official debut.
There are incentives to keep working on it. The package could serve as a poster child for MagSafe, which promotes the sale of iPhones and their accessories. It will definitely be useful to charge your phone wirelessly while it is still in your pocket. It may just be a matter of practical use. If the accessories charge too slowly or carry too much premium, it can be a harder sell, no matter how comfortable the magnetic connection may be.