While Android-users have been waiting for Samsung to finally add MagSafe charging to its flagship Galaxy phones, a strange new rumor suggests Apple is considering ditching it for future iPhones.
The rumor comes courtesy of Instant Digital on Weibo, an account that is usually pretty accurate when it comes to Apple leaks. Here's what they posted (machine translated):
"There’s been a lot of internal debate at Apple recently regarding whether to include MagSafe as a standard feature on iPhones," they posted.
When MagSafe was first introduced, the internal stance was very aggressive. There were even plans to include it as a standard feature on iPads, which I mentioned before but ultimately didn’t happen.
Now they’re starting to waver."
As far as I can tell, Instant Digital hasn't posted a follow-up to this and did not respond to comments. So it's not clear why Apple is considering this or if the decision would only affect lower-end iPhone models.
MagSafe history
Apple first introduced MagSafe charging wtih the iPhone 12. Since then Apple has rolled out a huge ecosystem of accessories that includes MagSafe compatible cases, chargers, wallets and power banks.
Of course, third-party accessory manufacturers quickly made their own MagSafe accessories across a variety of categories.
MagSafe has featured in every iPhone generation since the 12 until Apple launched its new budget-friendly iPhone 16e in 2025. While the main iPhone 16 lineup features MagSafe, the e-series lacks it.
At the time, Apple reportedly believed that the target audience for the iPhone 16e wouldn't miss MagSafe. However, this year, Apple's big upgrade for the iPhone 17e was the reintroduction of MagSafe. Even the ultra-thin iPhone Air features MagSafe.
Why would Apple ditch MagSafe?
There are two reasons I suspect as to why Apple would drop MagSafe. The first is cost.
The MagSafe coil takes up a significant chunk of the internal space of an iPhone and adds cost to manufacturing. With the RAM crisis expected to last multiple years, this could be one way Apple tries to get around the astronomical rise in memory prices.
The other reason is that MagSafe might hinder Apple's attempts at redesigning the iPhone. Next year's 20th anniversary edition is expected to feature a massive redesign including edge-to-edge curved screens as part of the rumored "Glasswing" project.
Still, Apple has led the MagSafe charge and even contributed to the Qi2 standard that the broader phone industry utilizes. It would be strange for Apple to get rid of such a major piece of its phones.
Then again, Apple is also responsible for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack, a move that most phone makers subsequently copied.
It's a weird rumor, and as Instant Digital noted, there appears to be debate around the topic, so it's not yet clear if it will actually happen.
