For years, the speed at which an iPhone could charge wirelessly was a gate Apple kept locked — open only to those who paid for its own MagSafe charger. With iOS 26, that gate swings wide. iPhone 16 owners will soon charge at 25W through any Qi2.2-compatible device, a quiet but meaningful shift in how proprietary advantage yields to open standards. It is a small technical update that carries a larger philosophical current: the ecosystem is widening, and the walls that once defined it are growing shorter.
iOS 26 Enables 25W Qi2 Wireless Charging for iPhone 16 Models
Any Qi 2.2 charger can now deliver what only Apple's could before
Mark
So iOS 26 is adding Qi 2.2 support to iPhone 16. What does that actually change for someone who owns one of these phones right now?
Mimi
Right now, if you want 25W wireless charging, you need Apple's MagSafe Charger. Everything else maxes out at 15W. Starting with iOS 26, any Qi 2.2 charger can deliver the full 25W. That's a real difference—it's 10 extra watts, and it cuts charging time from empty to 50 percent to about 30 minutes.
Luke
But we should be clear: this is a software unlock, not a hardware change. The iPhone 16 already has the capability. iOS 26 is just enabling it.
Mimi
Exactly. The hardware was always there. The software was holding it back.
Mark
Why would Apple do that? Why lock it in the first place?
Mimi
Control. MagSafe was proprietary. Keeping third-party chargers at 15W meant Apple's charger was the only way to get the fastest speeds. Now they're opening it up to Qi 2.2, which is an open standard.
Luke
Though we should note: Apple hasn't officially announced this yet. We know it from beta code and from Belkin releasing chargers that hit those speeds. It's not a formal statement from Apple.
Mark
Belkin's already shipping chargers at $60 to $130. Does that mean the feature is definitely coming?
Mimi
It's a strong signal. Belkin wouldn't release chargers claiming 25W charging speeds if they didn't have confidence iOS 26 would enable it. They're putting their name on the performance claim.
Luke
True, but technically Belkin is saying "these chargers can charge iPhone 16 models running iOS 26 from 0 to 50 percent in 30 minutes." That's a conditional statement. It depends on iOS 26 actually shipping with Qi 2.2 support.
Mark
When does iOS 26 arrive?
Mimi
September, most likely. That's when Apple typically releases major OS updates.
Mark
And the iPhone 16e doesn't get this feature?
Mimi
Correct. Only the base iPhone 16, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max.
Luke
We don't know why the 16e is excluded. That detail isn't explained in any of the reporting.
Il Polso
- For the first time, third-party wireless chargers will match Apple's own MagSafe speeds on iPhone 16 — a ceiling that was previously Apple's alone to set.
- The 15W limit that constrained all non-Apple wireless chargers is being erased, collapsing a performance gap that quietly pushed users toward proprietary hardware.
- Belkin has already shipped three Qi2 25W charging stands — priced from $59.99 to $129.99 — staking its reputation on a feature Apple has not yet formally announced.
- iOS 26 beta builds already contain the Qi2.2 code, and real-world tests confirm 0-to-50% battery in roughly 30 minutes, matching Apple's own advertised benchmark.
- With a September launch expected alongside new iPhone hardware, the standard is poised to become the baseline for iPhone 17 and the broader wireless charging ecosystem.
For years, the speed at which an iPhone could charge wirelessly was a gate Apple kept locked — open only to those who paid for its own MagSafe charger. With iOS 26, that gate swings wide. iPhone 16 owners will soon charge at 25W through any Qi2.2-compatible device, a quiet but meaningful shift in how proprietary advantage yields to open standards. It is a small technical update that carries a larger philosophical current: the ecosystem is widening, and the walls that once defined it are growing shorter.
Apple's upcoming iOS 26 update will do something the company has never done before: allow any Qi2.2-certified wireless charger to reach the same 25W charging speed as Apple's own MagSafe Charger on iPhone 16 models. The iPhone 16e will remain excluded, but for the rest of the lineup, the update dissolves a meaningful boundary between Apple's proprietary ecosystem and the wider accessory market.
Until now, third-party chargers were capped at 15W on these devices, while MagSafe — available only from Apple at a premium — could push 25W. The Qi2.2 standard, officially marketed as "Qi2 25W," eliminates that gap entirely, letting any manufacturer building to the spec deliver the same performance Apple reserved for itself.
Belkin has already moved. The accessory maker released three new Qi2 25W charging stands this week, ranging from a $59.99 two-in-one for iPhone and AirPods to a $129.99 three-in-one with Apple Watch support. All three charge an iPhone 16 from zero to 50 percent in about 30 minutes — the exact figure Apple advertises for its own charger. That Belkin is willing to ship hardware around an unannounced Apple feature speaks to how certain the outcome is.
The feature has already surfaced in iOS 26 beta builds, giving developers early confirmation that the code is real and functional. Apple has yet to make a formal announcement, but the evidence is concrete on multiple fronts. iOS 26 is expected to arrive in September, likely alongside new iPhone hardware — and if iPhone 16 earns Qi2.2 support, the iPhone 17 series will almost certainly launch with it built in from the start. What was once a proprietary advantage is becoming an open standard, and the market is already moving to meet it.
Apple's next major iOS update will open iPhone 16 charging to the broader wireless ecosystem. Starting with iOS 26, the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support Qi 2.2 wireless charging at speeds up to 25W—a capability previously locked behind Apple's own MagSafe Charger. The iPhone 16e will remain excluded from this feature. The shift matters because it means, for the first time, any manufacturer building to the Qi 2.2 standard can deliver the same charging speed as Apple's proprietary solution.
Until now, third-party wireless chargers for these phones topped out at 15W. Apple's MagSafe Charger could push 25W, but it came at a premium and tied users to a single ecosystem. Qi 2.2—officially branded as "Qi2 25W"—changes that equation. The standard allows any compatible charger to reach the full 25W ceiling, collapsing the performance gap between Apple's offering and the competition.
Belkin has already moved to capitalize on the shift. This week, the accessory maker released three new Qi2 25W charging stands: a two-in-one model for iPhone and AirPods priced at $59.99, a three-in-one that adds Apple Watch charging for $99.99, and another three-in-one variant at $129.99. All three can charge an iPhone 16 from empty to 50 percent in roughly 30 minutes—the exact speed Apple advertises for its own 25W MagSafe Charger. That parity is significant. It's not a claim; it's a specification Belkin is willing to stake its reputation on, and it effectively confirms that iOS 26 will deliver what the beta versions have already shown.
The Qi 2.2 support has already appeared in iOS 26 beta builds, meaning developers and early testers can verify the feature works as described. Apple has not yet formally announced the capability, but the evidence is concrete: the beta code is there, Belkin's chargers are shipping, and the performance metrics align. iOS 26 is expected to arrive in September, likely alongside new iPhone hardware.
One remaining question is whether iPhone 16 models have received formal Qi 2.2 certification from the Wireless Power Consortium. That approval should arrive by the time iOS 26 launches, if it hasn't already. The broader implication is clear: if iPhone 16 gets Qi 2.2, the iPhone 17 series will almost certainly ship with it too. What began as a proprietary advantage for Apple's charger is becoming an open standard, and the accessory market is already moving to meet it.
Citazioni salienti
Belkin's three new Qi2 25W chargers can charge iPhone 16 models from 0% to 50% in around 30 minutes, matching Apple's own 25W MagSafe Charger performance— Belkin product specifications
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