Apple has always been characterized by a conservative approach to the introduction of new technologies, significantly lagging behind competitors. For many years, fans of the company perceived this strategy as an advantage, claiming that it allows it to approach the issue of introducing new developments more carefully and start applying it only when it is fully tested. It never occurred to anyone that such an approach might have the telltale signs of stagnation. Meanwhile, a company once considered a pioneer of innovation is now showing an inability to even make basic technological upgrades. A striking example of this state of affairs was the situation with fast charging in the new iPhone.
iPhone charging speed 17
Despite the fact that fast charging technology is a rather specific term, it can refer to a fairly wide range of capacities. As a general rule, this is the process of replenishing the battery life at a power of more than 15 watts. That is, de jure iPhone fast charging is still supported.
However, if you look at the situation in more detail, the picture is not so rosy. While Apple’s competitors have long passed the 65W threshold, and some manufacturers offer solutions with power up to 200W or even higher, the iPhone’s maximum charging speed remains at 27W. At the same time, the actual charging speed is often even lower due to the peculiarities of the power management system.
Moreover,according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities, the situation will hardly change in the iPhone 17. Apple is going to increase the power of their charging, but only up to 35 watts. So it is unlikely that this slight improvement will lead to a noticeable increase in the rate of battery replenishment. Or it won’t work at all.
How long does your iPhone charge?
It is known that the iPhone 16 can briefly reach a power of up to 30.5 W, if you connect it to a compatible memory. But even in this case, the charging time of the flagship Apple smartphone is more than an hour and a half. That is, even if in Cupertino they can achieve that 35 Watts affect the iPhone 17 battery constantly, at best we can expect to charge for an hour or even a little more.
The Cupertino company traditionally explains this approach by taking care of the battery life of iPhones. According to them, higher charge currents contribute to accelerated battery degradation. However, current research and the experience of other manufacturers show that with the correct implementation of fast charging technology, the impact on battery life can be minimized.
The key factor here is the use of multi-section batteries and intelligent power management algorithms, which Apple, apparently, was not able to master. But manufacturers of Android smartphones have been using load sharing technologies between several battery cells for several years, which allows you to significantly increase the charging speed without critical overheating.
Why iPhone is worse than Android smartphones
We have long seen this in the case of even budget smartphones from Chinese manufacturers, which today offer more advanced solutions for fast charging. For example, low-cost Xiaomi, Realme, and OnePlus mid-range phones come with 65-80W chargers, providing a full charge in 30 to 40 minutes. At the same time, these manufacturers give their devices a standard warranty and do not fix massive problems with battery degradation.
As a result, there is a paradoxical situation: iPhone buyers, overpaying a significant amount for a premium device, receive charging technologies that can already be called outdated. Apple continues to stick to its conservative policy, ignoring the fact that the current pace of life requires faster solutions. For many users, the ability to quickly charge their smartphone during a short break or between meetings becomes a critical factor.
This approach of Apple to charging technologies becomes a symbolic reflection of the overall state of the company. The once-revolutionary manufacturer is increasingly choosing the path of least resistance, preferring minor improvements to existing solutions instead of introducing truly innovative technologies. And if this trend continues, it is possible that in the coming years we will see a further lag of the iPhone from competitors not only in charging speed, but also in other key characteristics.