For six years, Android users have quietly charged their earbuds and smartwatches from the backs of their phones — a small but meaningful convenience Apple has watched from a distance. Now, with the iPhone 17 Pro reportedly set to arrive in September 2025, Apple appears ready to close that gap, offering 7.5W reverse wireless charging to its premium lineup. The move is less a leap into the unknown than a careful, calibrated step into territory already mapped by Samsung and Xiaomi — a reminder that in technology, timing is its own form of philosophy.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro tipped to debut reverse wireless charging at 7.5W
Apple's entry point will be more modest: 7.5W
Mark
So Apple is finally doing reverse charging. Why did it take them this long?
Mimi
Android phones have had it since 2019, so yes, Apple is years behind. But the company tends to wait until it can do something at scale and integrate it smoothly into the ecosystem.
Luke
We should note this is a leak, not confirmation. Instant Digital is a known tipster, but Apple hasn't said anything official yet.
Mark
Fair. But if it's real, 7.5W sounds pretty good, right?
Mimi
It's faster than Samsung's current 4.5W, which is something. But Xiaomi's 15 Ultra does 10W, so Apple's not leading here.
Luke
And we don't know yet how 7.5W will perform in practice—whether it'll actually charge an Apple Watch meaningfully or if it's more of a trickle.
Mark
When would we know? September launch?
Mimi
That's the expected window, though Apple hasn't confirmed the date. The leak says both Pro and Pro Max will get it.
Luke
The leak says that. We should be careful not to assume the non-Pro models will have it too, since the source only mentions the Pro variants.
Mark
So this is a premium feature?
Mimi
It appears so. Apple often reserves new tech for the Pro line first, then expands it later.
Luke
Or sometimes it stays exclusive. We won't know until launch.
The Pulse
- Android manufacturers have held a six-year head start in reverse wireless charging, and Apple's absence from that space has grown increasingly conspicuous for a brand built on the promise of innovation.
- A leak from Chinese tipster Instant Digital on Weibo suggests Apple is actively testing 7.5W reverse charging on both the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, enough to power AirPods and Apple Watch from the phone's back.
- At 7.5W, Apple would outpace Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra at 4.5W but fall short of Xiaomi's 10W ceiling — a middle-ground entry that signals deliberate restraint over raw ambition.
- Apple has confirmed nothing, and the September 2025 launch window remains unverified, leaving the feature's arrival contingent on leaks holding true and the company's famously guarded announcement cycle.
For six years, Android users have quietly charged their earbuds and smartwatches from the backs of their phones — a small but meaningful convenience Apple has watched from a distance. Now, with the iPhone 17 Pro reportedly set to arrive in September 2025, Apple appears ready to close that gap, offering 7.5W reverse wireless charging to its premium lineup. The move is less a leap into the unknown than a careful, calibrated step into territory already mapped by Samsung and Xiaomi — a reminder that in technology, timing is its own form of philosophy.
Apple is preparing to enter a space Android manufacturers have occupied since 2019. According to a leak attributed to Instant Digital on Weibo, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max — expected in September 2025 — will introduce reverse wireless charging, allowing users to power accessories like AirPods and Apple Watch by resting them against the back of the phone.
Apple's entry point is 7.5W — more capable than Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra at 4.5W, but trailing Xiaomi's 15 Ultra, which leads the field at 10W. Both Pro models are expected to share the feature, continuing the pattern of unified specifications seen in the iPhone 16 generation.
What gives the story its texture is the gap itself. Android users have been charging their earbuds and smartwatches from their phones for six years. Apple's arrival reads less as pioneering and more as a considered, late acknowledgment of a proven convenience. The 7.5W speed suggests the company has weighed battery drain against practical utility for smaller devices — a calibration that will only be tested when the phones reach real hands. Apple has not confirmed any of this, and the September launch window remains officially unannounced.
Apple is preparing to enter a market that Android manufacturers have occupied for years. According to a leak from a Chinese tipster on Weibo, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max—due in September 2025—will introduce reverse wireless charging, a feature that lets users power up accessories like AirPods and the Apple Watch by placing them against the back of the phone itself.
The technology is not new. Samsung has offered it since 2019 with the Galaxy S series, and Xiaomi's 15 Ultra currently leads the pack with 10W of reverse charging power. Apple's entry point will be more modest: 7.5W. That's faster than Samsung's current Galaxy S25 Ultra, which maxes out at 4.5W, but it trails Xiaomi's offering by a meaningful margin.
The leak, attributed to Instant Digital, suggests Apple is actively testing the feature on its Pro models. Both the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to share the same core specifications, much as the iPhone 16 generation did, with the reverse charging capability likely appearing on both devices. The company has not officially confirmed any of this, and Apple's typical September launch window remains unconfirmed as well.
What makes this noteworthy is the gap itself. Android users have been charging their earbuds and smartwatches from their phones for six years. For a company that prides itself on innovation, Apple's timing here reads as deliberate caution rather than pioneering spirit. The feature solves a real problem—your phone's battery can extend the life of your accessories when you're away from a charger—but it's a solution that's been proven in the market already.
If the leak holds, the iPhone 17 Pro will mark the first time any iPhone has offered this capability. That's a significant milestone for Apple's user base, even if the company is arriving late to the party. The 7.5W speed suggests Apple has calibrated the feature to balance battery drain on the phone with practical charging speeds for smaller devices. Whether that proves fast enough in real-world use remains to be seen when the phones arrive.
Notable Quotes
Both the premium variants are likely to support this new feature of reverse charging in the devices— Instant Digital (Chinese tipster, via leak)
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