- iOS 26 will unlock extra charging speeds on the iPhone 16 models
- 25W is going to be possible using third-party chargers
- We should see the final version of the software roll out in September
Since iOS 26 was announced in June, it’s been through several cycles of beta testing ahead of its expected full release next month, and we now know it’s going to bring an extra bonus to existing iPhone 16 handsets: faster wireless charging.
As spotted by MacRumors, iOS 26 unlocks the full capabilities of the Qi2 wireless charging standard on the iPhone 16, which means wireless charging speeds of up to 25W on third-party Qi chargers. Previously, the limit was 15W.
To get the best charging speeds, you need several different elements to line up: the phone hardware, the charging standard, and the software support. The Qi2 standard was built-into the iPhone 16 handsets when they launched last September, and then updated to support 25W back in July.
Right now though, that 25W upgrade hasn’t been unlocked on the 16 iPhone series – you can only get 25W wireless charging from official Apple MagSafe chargers. When iOS 26 rolls out in full, that will change.
Wireless boosts all round
Thanks to the improved charging capabilities, you’ll be able to get an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro up to 50% battery from zero in as little as 30 minutes, according to Apple’s own figures for its MagSafe range of products.
Belkin has moved fast, and is releasing three new chargers to take advantage of the incoming update. It’s not something Apple has specifically referred to yet, though that may change when the iOS 26 beta period ends.
This is also confirmation that the iPhone 17 handsets are going to support the latest Qi2.2 standard, with wireless charging up to 25W, as has been widely expected – although as third-party charger support gets a bump up to 25W, we might see MagSafe capabilities go all the way up to 50W, according to one leak.
It’s almost certain that Apple is going to unveil the iPhone 17 series sometime in September, and the indications are that something could happen around September 9. As always, we’ll be bringing you all the news and announcements as they happen.