iPhone 17 Pro May Be Able to Wirelessly Charge AirPods, Apple Watch

by

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models could include a reverse wireless charging feature making them capable of delivering power to other Apple devices, according to the Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital.

iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1
The Chinese leaker says that Apple has tested reverse wireless charging for the company's new high-end smartphones, but whether the feature is actually enabled when the devices launch next month remains to be seen.

This is the second time we've heard about the feature potentially coming to new iPhones this year. In February, Weibo leaker Instant Digital claimed that Apple had been testing 7.5W reverse wireless charging for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, saying it could be used to charge other Apple accessories like AirPods, Apple Watch, or potentially an upcoming MagSafe Battery Pack.

Long-running rumors of iPhone reverse wireless charging capabilities finally came to fruition in 2021 – albeit in a limited way – when Apple released the MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12 and newer models. When attached to an ‌iPhone‌ that was charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ could deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which was the first instance of an ‌iPhone‌ being able to route power to an accessory device.

Apple discontinued the MagSafe Battery Pack in September 2023 with the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup, which dropped the Lightning cable in favor of USB-C. iPhone 15 and later models can reverse charge Apple Watch, AirPods, and other smaller devices that support Power Delivery at up to 4.5 watts via the USB-C port, but the wireless reverse charging feature for Apple devices has not been implemented since the discontinuation of the MagSafe Battery Pack.

In 2022, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that a relaunched MagSafe Battery Pack would eventually transition to USB-C, but that has yet to happen. Likewise, In September 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said he expected USB-C versions of the MagSafe Battery Pack to return "eventually." But he qualified that by saying "Don't hold your breath."

All will be revealed when Apple releases its iPhone 17 lineup around mid-September, with an iPhone event rumored to be taking place on Tuesday, September 9. Would you welcome a reverse wireless charging feature? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro
Tag: Fixed Focus Digital
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Read Full Article • 148 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Read Full Article • 37 comments
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Read Full Article
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Read Full Article
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
Read Full Article • 152 comments

Top Rated Comments

BelgianChoklit Avatar
BelgianChoklit
24 weeks ago
I think this was rumored ever since the iPhone 11 Pro
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ael_MR Avatar
Ael_MR
24 weeks ago
Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JulianL Avatar
JulianL
24 weeks ago

Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
You might not know anyone personally who wants this but I suspect I'm not the only one on this forum who genuinely has been hoping for this for a long time now - ever since I got my first Apple Watch with Series 5.

It's not a massive game changer but it would make things just that bit more convenient for me when travelling, which I do quite a lot. Instead of having to pack the Apple charging puck + cable I could simply put the Watch on top of my iPhone when it is charging. I travel with a very compact 2-port universal USB charger so it would also be a nice convenience to be able to charge two things at once off a single USB port, that then leaves the other port free for either my iPad or my earbuds without my also having to schedule in my Apple Watch charging somewhere in the cycle.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abcmax Avatar
abcmax
24 weeks ago
iPhones meant to support reverse wireless charging since iPhone 11 Pro:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2019/09/15/apple-iphone-11-pro-max-upgrade-reverse-wireless-charging-update/

iPhone 12 as well:
https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_12series_might_have_a_reverse_wireless_charging-news-46006.php

iPhone 13:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/07/04/larger-iphone-13-charging-coils-could-enable-reverse-wireless-charging

iPhone 15:
https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/apple-iphone-15-reverse-wireless-charging-i-dont-care-why/

Reverse wireless charging in iPhone 17 Pro is just an another episode in this series. And you know what? One day it will probably become a reality, regardless of the rumors ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
robvalentine Avatar
robvalentine
24 weeks ago

Another pointless feature to mark a checkbox on the we are competing with Android's spec sheet. I don't know a single person who uses reverse charging except as a novelty.
And the Pixel 10 removes it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bradman83 Avatar
bradman83
24 weeks ago
For all of the features Apple has added to preserve battery cycle endurance, like 80% charging caps and smart time of use charging, this seems like a backwards step that will just add more wear to the phone's battery, not less.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments