With every new iPhone model, the question arises as to what technical improvements Apple is offering. Many users expect progress, especially in the area of charging speed, as many Android manufacturers are already relying on extremely fast charging with 100 W or more. However, the latest reports suggest that Apple is not making any major leaps with the iPhone 17 series. The charging power is said to be a maximum of 35 W when wired. This means that Apple remains at a solid level, but there is no real innovation.
Charging speeds are playing an increasingly important role for smartphone users. While some manufacturers allow their devices to charge in a few minutes, Apple is sticking to a more conservative strategy. The latest rumors say that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be able to charge with a maximum of 35W via cable. But how big is the improvement compared to the iPhone 16? And are there any changes to wireless charging? Here are all the details so far on the charging speeds of the iPhone 17 models.
Wired charging performance: No real improvement
A note from investment firm GF Securities according to, the entire iPhone 17 series will support wired charging of up to 35W. This applies to the standard model as well as the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. At first glance, this sounds like an improvement, since the iPhone 16 officially charges at around 30W. But a closer look at the measurements shows that the iPhone 16 Pro models already reached higher peak values. ChargerLAB determined last year that the iPhone 16 Pro Max briefly reached a charging speed of 37W with Apple's 140W USB-C power adapter.
PhoneArena also found that the iPhone 16 even achieved a peak power of 38 W under certain conditions, such as under heavy load. However, the sustained charging power of the iPhone 16 models was usually lower. In PhoneArena's test, the iPhone 16 remained consistently just under 20 W. This means that the alleged 35 W of the iPhone 17 could be kept more stable but ultimately hardly offers a noticeable improvement.
- iPhone 17 Pro: This is what Apple's new top model could look like
- iPhone 17 Air: First images show radical design
Wireless charging: No information yet
While there are initial indications of the wired charging performance, there are currently no details on the wireless charging speeds of the iPhone 17 models. For comparison: The iPhone 16 series can charge wirelessly at a maximum of 25 W with MagSafe. It is currently unclear whether Apple is planning improvements here. Wireless charging is becoming increasingly important and other manufacturers are already relying on higher performance and innovative technologies. If Apple does not make progress here, it could be a disappointment for many users.
iPhone 17 series: No big surprise in terms of charging speed
Anyone who was hoping for significantly faster charging times on the iPhone 17 will probably not be thrilled. The alleged 35 W is a solid performance but not a real development. The iPhone 16 was already able to achieve similar charging speeds under certain conditions. If you are hoping for an iPhone with extremely fast charging, you will have to be patient. Apple is sticking to its cautious approach and continues to rely on a comparatively slow but stable charging performance. Whether this will change in the future remains to be seen. (Photo by hadrian / Bigstockphoto)
- iPhone 17 Pro: Apple reportedly relies on aluminum – all information
- iPhone 17 series: How credible are the current leaks?
- Nomad Universal Apple Watch Cable – Practical or expensive?
