Latest iPhone 15 Leak Reveals 15W Qi2 Wireless Charging Support

iPhone 15 Pro Max renders based on multiple leaks

05/30 Update below. This post was originally published on May 27

iPhone 15 leaks have revealed a number of surprising design decisions, including an exclusive Pro Max periscope camera and new Action button controls. But perhaps the biggest shock is they are shaping up to be the most open standard iPhones ever released.

According to a new leak by ChargerLab, a power specialist website with a rock-solid track record, all iPhone 15 models will support fast 15W wireless charging using the Qi2 open standard. If correct, this is a major U-turn because Apple had previously limited open wireless charging standards to 7.5W, with only Apple MagSafe licensed accessories getting the full 15W.

Combine high-speed, open standard, wireless charging with the iPhone 15 range's adoption of USB-C wired charging, and this is completely new territory for Apple's smartphones. And the good news doesn't stop there.

Qi2 is based on Apple's MagSafe standard, right down to support for the same halo-like ring of magnets that snap the chargers into place. That said, it was far from a given that Apple would support the full charging speeds of Qi2, given the sizeable bite it is now likely to take from Apple's official MagSafe licensing program as accessory makers flock to the cheaper standard.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max render from leaked CADs showing the new USB-C port

Moreover, the leak further highlights a previously unseen willingness from Apple to work with open standards on the iPhone. Yes, EU law will force Apple to adopt USB-C, but not until December 2024. So Apple could have released the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (likely September 2023 and 2024 launches, respectively) with Lightning, but instead, it is proactively shifting to USB-C two generations earlier than required.

In addition, iOS 17 is expected to enable sideloading of apps through third-party app stores. Again, pressure was coming from the European Union for Apple to open up the App Store, but not for another year. Apple is embracing the change.

Whether all these changes are just a sign of Apple's confidence in its increasingly dominant market position or a reluctant acceptance of the unavoidable, remains to be seen. Either way, it gives potential iPhone 15 upgraders something to look forward to, just as doubts were being sown. Especially with bigger changes coming to iPhones in 2024.

05/29 Update: Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated leaks claiming Apple will increase the size of the iPhone Pro and Pro Max models in 2024 in his latest Power On newsletter.

Gurman's source aligns with consistently accurate display analyst Ross Young, who last week stated that Apple will increase the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max displays to 6.3-inches and 6.9-inches, respectively (link below). This was also endorsed by respected anonymous leaker Unknownz21, who has provided consistently accurate information for the last two iPhone generations.

Speculation is already mounting about Apple's reasons for enlarging its 2024 iPhones before the 2023 models have arrived. One credible technical explanation is that Apple plans to bring a periscope optical zoom lens to the smaller iPhone 16 Pro next year, after multiple leaks revealed it will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year, due to size limitations of the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro.

Given Apple's determination to closely feature match its iPhone Pro models, this makes a lot of sense. Rival periscope-sporting smartphones are also all larger models, such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra. In fact, if Apple does equip the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro with a periscope lens, as it stands, it will the smallest smartphone to achieve this feat. That said, the age of the premium, compact smartphone now looks truly dead.

05/30 Update: if you thought the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max leaks were early, respected display analyst Ross Young has today not only leaked more details about the models, but also Apple's 2025 plans for the iPhone 17 lineup.

Dealing with the 2024 models first, Young states that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have a marginally taller 19.6:9 aspect ratio (vs 19.5:9 in current models) thanks to their larger display sizes. He provides precise dimensions for these, revealing that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max displays will measure 6.27-inches and 6.86-inches, versus their previously leaked 6.3 and 6.9-inch round numbers (which Apple will likely use to market them).

For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (like the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max) will measure 6.12-inches and 6.69-inches, which Apple markets as 6.1-inches and 6.7-inches, respectively.

Moving onto 2025, Young claims that Apple will bring these larger display sizes to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus models. Moreover, 2025 will finally be the year Apple equips its standard models with a 120Hz ProMotion display and the power-efficient, variable refresh rate LTPO panels which support them.

Apple introduced ProMotion with the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021, and high refresh rate displays have become increasingly common on rival's midrange models, so this is arguably long overdue. Interestingly, some argue the name ‘ProMotion’ has been to blame for this, a branding error on Apple's part which tied the feature to Pro devices.

Lastly, Young adds that iPhone 17 Pro models will be the first iPhones to support under-display Face ID technology, something that would signal the end for the pill-shaped cutout introduced by iPhone 14 Pro models. A circular cutout would still be required for the front camera (Young makes no reference to under-display cameras in his leaked Apple roadmap), but the transition would still increase space for Dynamic Island notifications.

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