MagSafe is Apple’s wireless charging platform.
Wondering does the iPhone 13 have MagSafe? The 2021 iPhone series is now here and it includes the iPhone 13 mini, the iPhone 13, then iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Improvements to the lineup include an A15 processor, camera enhancements in the Pro line, larger storage sizes, new colors, and of course they all ship with iOS 15.
But the iPhone 13 series does not come with USB-C, AirPods, or Touch ID. But what about MagSafe – the connection and changing technology Apple introduced with the iPhone 12 series?
MagSafe Has A Long Apple History
Apple’s MagSafe branding has been around for over fifteen years. MagSafe first made its debut on the company’s MacBook lineup in 2006. Back then MagSafe was a proprietary connection technology that allowed the cord from the MacBook power adapter to snap into place in the MacBook using built-in magnets.
MagSafe was widely popular with users as it allowed for a perfect connection of the power cord to the MacBook while also ensuring your MacBook wouldn’t come sliding off the desk to the ground if you tripped up in the cable. Because of the perfectly balanced tension, if a quick or rapid force was applied to the MagSafe cable it would detach from the MacBook instead of sending it crashing to the ground.
Apple kept the MagSafe charger around on the iPhone until 2016 when it replaced the dedicated power port with USB-C ports on the MacBook Pro series (the MacBook lost the MagSafe connector a year before).
MagSafe was dead after 11 years of existence. Or at least it was…
MagSafe On iPhone
Apple brought the MagSafe brand back in 2020 with the introduction of the iPhone 12 series. All models of the iPhone 12 feature MagSafe, yet the technology is slightly different than it was on the MacBook lines. This includes the iPhone 12 mini, the iPhone 12, then iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Apple has not done away with the traditional Lightning charging port on the iPhone. Instead, MagSafe is an addition to the iPhone. It’s a big magnetic conductive region on the back of the iPhone. iPhone MagSafe also acts as a magnetic charging plug but MagSafe also works as an accessory platform.
While a MagSafe cable will let you charge your iPhone via it instead of needing to plug the iPhone into a Lightning cable, the magnetic MagSafe contact area on the back of the iPhone lets you magnetically clamp accessories onto the iPhone – like MagSafe wallets or ID holders.
MagSafe proved to be one of the most popular features of the iPhone 12 series.
Does The iPhone 13 Have MagSafe?
Yes! The iPhone 13 features MagSafe. The iPhone 13 mini, the iPhone 13, then iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max all feature the magnetic connection port and accessory platform. MagSafe was so popular on the iPhone 12 series it’s no wonder Apple brought MagSafe back for the iPhone 13 series.
MagSafe comes standard on all iPhone 13 models. However, if you want to use it, you’ll need to buy a MagSafe charging cable, which is sold separately. Apple also makes other MagSafe products like the MagSafe Wallet and the MagSafe Battery Pack.
And check out Which iPhone 13 Should I Get? And be sure to check out Does The iPad Have MagSafe?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: Do all iPhones have MagSafe?
No. Only the iPhone 12 series and the iPhone 13 series have MagSafe.
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Q: Do we get MagSafe with iPhone 12?
MagSafe technology comes built into the iPhone 12, but the iPhone 12 does not come with any MagSafe accessories, such as the MagSafe charger. You’ll need to buy MagSafe accessories separately.
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Q: Why does iPhone 12 not have a charger?
Apple opted not to include the charger (power brick) with the iPhone 12 due to environmental concerns. Apple reasoned that most people have plenty of spare chargers at home already, so including one would just contribute to more e-waste. Many Android manufactures have since followed Apple’s lead and stopped including chargers with Android phones too.
Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.
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