iOS 26 is said to quietly speed up charging speeds on your iPhone 16

Apple is flipping the switch on faster wireless charging for iPhone 16 owners with the release of iOS 26. Thanks to the upcoming update, all iPhone 16 models except the iPhone 16e can now hit 25W charging speeds on third-party Qi2 wireless chargers. This is a significant jump from the previous 15W cap.

Third-party wireless charging speeds get closer to wired

The iOS 26 update is expected to roll out in September after months of beta testing. It finally unlocks the full power of the Qi2 standard built into the iPhone 16 series.

Until now, Apple reserved those top speeds for its own MagSafe chargers, but the change means you can finally use a wider range of Qi2.2-certified accessories to get your phone from zero to half-full in about 30 minutes. This would make third-party accessories right in line with Apple’s own numbers.

Accessory makers aren’t wasting time. Belkin is reportedly already dropping a trio of shiny new Qi2 stands, including a combo charger for your iPhone and AirPods, plus a three-in-one that’ll power your Apple Watch as well. However, it’s unclear when these accessories will launch in India.

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Apple hasn’t actually announced this change yet, but that may change once iOS 26 stable is officially out. The timing is no accident either. Apple’s expected to pull the curtain back on the new iPhone series in just a few weeks, and all signs point to those models supporting 25W Qi2 wireless charging too – maybe even higher speeds for MagSafe, if the leaks are legit.

It’s also worth mentioning that Google’s latest Pixels launched last week are right there in the fast lane too, supporting Qi2 wireless charging at 25W. This year, Google even took a page out of Apple’s playbook and introduced its own MagSafe-style magnetic charging, dubbed Pixelsnap.