Apple does not make a MagSafe car charger – here are your options

Getting a MagSafe car charger for your iPhone seems like a simple process, but the current landscape is a compromise: there are no all-in-one solutions that can keep your phone wireless and charge and is MagSafe certified to deliver up to 15W of power. However, producers have found solutions.

First up is Belkin’s Car Vent Mount Pro, which is the only MagSafe certified car suspension, and it’s selling for $ 39.99. However, being certified does not mean that it produces power. You must connect your phone with a lightning cable (which you must do for wired CarPlay compatibility anyway). It technically allows you to charge your phone faster than regular wireless charging, but it leaves you cluttered with a cable.

Then there’s the Scosche MagicMount, which offers a 20W motor adapter but nothing to plug into. You will need to provide your own MagSafe puck, which adds $ 39 for the price of MagicMount from $ 29.99 to $ 39.99 (which varies by model). Although you get MagSafe-certified mounting and loading technically, it’s just because you use Apple’s own puck.

Placing the plastic around Apple’s charger is just a common approach. Amazon is full of BYOP (bring your own puck) car supports, and we’ve seen it with Apple Watch charging accessories as well. It’s a quick and easy way for users to get the fully certified experience without waiting for certification (and without Apple’s Made For iPhone application fees). The downside is that users have to buy two different things.

Finally, there’s the ESR HaloLock, which apparently has it all. It’s one piece, holds your iPhone magnetically and offers wireless charging. The only thing missing is MagSafe certification, which means Apple will only charge your phone at 7.5W. You will again see many similar products on Amazon, where the manufacturer copied MagSafe magnets but used a standard Qi charger for power. Like the puck holders, you get most features without really being certified, and the product will be good for people who are not worried about fast loading.

This is not to say that the third party, fully certified MagSafe car batter will not appear at some point, just that it may take a while. And given the other routes you get pretty close to the actual deal, you can expect to see a lot of it.