- Apple has rolled out Qi2 wireless charging or Qi2 25W on-board iPhone 16 series.
- The new standard allows users use different Qi2-enabled chargers to reach 25W fast charging speeds without needing an Apple or MagSafe charging specifically.
- The tech will arrive across iPhone 17 series launching early next week.
iPhone 16 models gain Qi2 wireless charging support as the Cupertino-based giant silently debuts the tech update across iOS 26. It doesn’t, however, cover the iPhone 16e, while covering the entire iPhone 16 series with 25W fast charging technology.
Apple rolls out Qi2 wireless charging support on iPhone 16 series on iOS 26
We have been hearing about the tech in the works for quite some time now, but it seems like Apple has had it and rolled out Qi2 wireless charging tech silently. This covers the iPhone 16 series, consisting of vanilla iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This is a tech running on iOS 26, allowing phones to charge at 25W speeds thanks to the new and improved Qi 2.2 standard. The question is, the iPhone 16 series already supported 25W wireless charging, so what changed?
Mansplaining Qi 2.2 wireless charging tech
The entire iPhone 16 series supports 25W fast wireless charging tech. However, you’d need Apple’s MagSafe charger to reach that octane. Other Qi-enabled chargers were limited to 15W, even if you purchase a charger promising higher speeds.
Cut to now, Apple has launched support for Qi 2.2 aboard iOS 26. This has been branded as Qi2 25W signaling support for 25W wireless charging. The best thing about the latest Qi standard is that you need a charger with Qi2.2, and that’s all; you are covered with a speedy 25W charging tech, even if it is not an Apple or MagSafe charger anymore.
Think about it? You can source an Anker or a Belkin charger compatible with Qi2 25W (or Qi 2.2) and unlock faster wireless charging speeds on your iPhone 16. I mean, the latest offerings from Belkin cost between $59.00 and $129.99, depending upon your choice of model. Speedy charging allows iPhone 16 models to juice up from 0% to 100% in around half an hour, the same as Magsafe, so yes, it is a big deal.
Qi2.2 or Qi2 25W support is available on iPhone 16 models running the latest iOS 26 beta version. Exactly why iPhone 16e was left behind remains a question. Perhaps Apple wants to make it one of the differentiating factors, given the ‘e’ lineup is still more affordable, and thus, there are some trade-offs to counter.
In any case, the Qi2.2 will be released across iOS 26 stable version launching this September, followed by a potential trickling of support on the previous iPhone models as they might get their hands on the new standard as well. Moreover, the upcoming iPhone 17 series will surely get their hands on Qi2.2 when they arrive in the first half of next month.
Check out this space to know more about the iPhone 17 series and what they bring to the table.
