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Along with the launch of the iPhone 12 series, Apple also started the process of bringing back MagSafe, a magnetic technology originally created as a safety feature for MacBook charging cords, MagSafe was incorporated into the iPhone 12 to create a new ecosystem of accessories for easy attachment and faster wireless charging.
Now, the first of the MagSafe accessories are cases and a charger. MagSafe seems to have a lot of potential and as time goes by we will probably see phones with no ports altogether, since the phone can now be charged wirelessly.
Fast charger
MagSafe is a 15W fast-charger that works best if you power it with the new 20W charger from Apple (not supplied in the box). The charging speed seems to be the same as the official 20W charger directly plugged into the phone. In our tests, it charged from about 20 per cent to 100 per cent in approximately one hour thirty minutes and from zero to 100 per cent in just less than two hours. The only convenience seems to be that of not having to plug in a cable, a luxury users in the US are particularly fond of.
Aligns with phone
The charger does follow the widely used Qi standard and works for other devices as well. The best part is how it aligns with the phone, or with the phone along with one of the official MagSafe cases — just perfectly.
No need to fiddle around to ensure the phone is in the right spot to be charged, it just snaps into place and shows you an animation of charging and gets down to work. This is not the case for many of the wireless charges you otherwise see around and unless you align the device with the charger it doesn’t charge, so this is an elegant solution.
Removing the phone from the charger does need two hands, unless you strap down the charger on a table with double-sided tape. While it is not quite a natural action you can get used to it. Third-party chargers and stands are slowly beginning to enter the market, including options for charging the phone, watch and AirPods all at the same time. For now, it is a bit of a novelty and it does work but has no big advantage over using a cable and a power-brick and is rather a nice-to-have than a must-have.
Price: ₹4,500
Pros: Fast-charge iPhone 12 at 15W, charges other devices supporting Qi, aligns perfectly
Cons: Requires two hands to lift phone, short cable, no power-brick included
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