Users might be able to charge their Apple Watch and AirPods with their iPhone 17 Pro models with this feature.
iPhone 16 models currently support wireless charging via MagSafe
The iPhone 17 series is expected to go official next month. With the launch on the horizon, the rumour mill has been working overtime to reveal information about the next-generation iPhone models. As per a tipster, the iPhone 17 Pro models, comprising Pro and Pro Max variants, will support reverse wireless charging for the first time. In theory, it might allow Apple users to charge peripherals such as their Apple Watch and AirPods via their smartphone itself.
This information comes from a post on the microblogging platform Weibo by tipster Instant Digital (translated from Chinese). It is said that Apple has tested a reverse charging functionality on the iPhone 17 Pro. The feature might support charging other wireless charging-compatible devices via the iPhone, wirelessly.
While information is scarce, the tipster revealed that the iPhone 17 Pro would support reverse wireless charging at 7.5W. This is potentially faster than its direct competitor — the Galaxy S25 Ultra — which comes with a PowerShare feature that can charge peripherals at 4.5W.
However, Xiaomi's 15 Ultra will still top the iPhone 17 Pro's reverse wireless charging speeds at 10W.
Although the tipster only mentioned iPhone 17 Pro, both Pro and Pro Max variants are usually almost identical in terms of specifications, and thus, if Apple has tested it on one of them, then both handsets could come with the feature.
In theory, iPhone users might be able to charge their accessories, such as AirPods and Apple Watch, with their smartphone in emergencies when they have run out of battery power. However, this is all speculation, and official information remains under wraps.
If this leak turns out to be accurate, Apple would be extremely late to the party, and unfashionably so. Reverse wireless charging has been available on Android phones for a long time now. Samsung first introduced this feature with the Galaxy S10 series in 2019. Xiaomi followed suit in the same year, and it also made its way to OnePlus smartphones with the launch of the OnePlus 8 Pro in 2020.
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