iPhone 15's USB-C Port Can Charge Your Apple Watch and AirPods

[O.N.Y.X]

but can it charge Android phones?

No it can’t charge anything. Apple crappified the USB-C port on the iphone 15 wherever possible. At least they didn’t make it a complete placeholder plug…

 

[Torty]

So if I take two iPhones and connect them together, can they charge each other, generating unlimited energy.

That the real reason EU wanted their USB-C iphones. Unlimited energy from now on. 😁

 

[Zheez]

I wonder what happens if you connect two iPhone 15’s together via USB-C.

Not sure but I have tried plugging my MacBook into itself with a C to C cable. It reports that it's charging, but it obviously isn't doing anything

 

[darngooddesign]

...

 

[darngooddesign]

No it can’t charge anything. Apple crappified the USB-C port on the iphone 15 wherever possible. At least they didn’t make it a complete placeholder plug…

Yes the 15 can reverse charge thorough USB.

 

[jonnysods]

If the 15 Pro's battery was significantly improved, this may be a feature I'd be interested in, but it always seems like I need to charge the phone more than I need to charge the watch.

 

[polyphenol]

Very glad I have USB-C Apple Watch charging pucks (two of them - one for home, one for car). Would have been really annoying to have a Lightning version.

 

[mattwolfmatt]

I see that the faster data transfer speeds are only available with the pro models. What about charging speeds? Can the pro models charge faster than lightning?

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I’m still waiting for iPhone reverse MagSafe charging.

 

[JGIGS]

Magsafe (wireless charging) is a great convenience, but it is unpractical because there’s power loss in the process. Charging directly by using a cable is more energy efficient.
In theory, you should be able to charge your Apple Watch using the included charging cable. I would do it in an emergency or if I don’t have my briefcase with a battery pack with me.

Yes I understand that but most people aren't carrying around a charging cable unless they know they will need to charge something because they are out all day and likely would bring a portable battery as well.

Also I'd assume most people are similar to me in that their is a better chance of their phone running out of power vs airpods. Reverse charging might be less efficient but should get enough power on your airpods for a couple of hours of listening, would be way more convenient and still shouldn't take that much power off your phone vs using a cord.

 

[phenste]

yeah I’m a day late to this thread (great feature, hope I can use it with my Lightning APP since, yknow, they’re not selling that case standalone!), can I just say that it was rather funny to stumble onto this of all ads on MR this morning?

RIP Lightning u will be semi-missed

 

[darngooddesign]

…

 

[russell_314]

Yes. Just like the iPads, the USB port outputs power so you can charge anything you plug into it. My iPad can even charge a battery powered flashlight with a USB-C > MicrUSB cable.

Wait the USB-C port on the iPad outputs power? I didn’t know that. I know USB-C ports on the Mac do this but I didn’t expect it to be a thing on iPad.

So I could charge my iPhone with my 4th generation iPad Air? Do you know the power output? I wonder if it’s something really low like 5 watts.

 

[darngooddesign]

Wait the USB-C port on the iPad outputs power? I didn’t know that. I know USB-C ports on the Mac do this but I didn’t expect it to be a thing on iPad.

So I could charge my iPhone with my 4th generation iPad Air? Do you know the power output? I wonder if it’s something really low like 5 watts.

Don’t have those details but I’m charging my XR from my M1 iPad Pro right now. FWIW when traveling I plug the Magic Keyboard into the wall and then plug my phone into my iPad.

Give it a shot and see how long it takes to charge your phone.

 

[DeepIn2U]

So if I take two iPhones and connect them together, can they charge each other, generating unlimited energy.

As in Moms Pro Max to charge lil Johny Bravo’s Pro?! Smart thinking.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Zero issues. I have a 100w Apple charger (as well as various other chargers). I often use the 100w charger for charging any and everything — my iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Mini, Apple Watch and even my Beats Flex headphones (as well as my Nintendo Switch and other non-Apple stuff). None of those devices come anywhere close to charging at 100w.

Everything is smart enough to only give/receive as much power as each device can handle.

This is good to know, I could easily swap between my MacBook when charging the phone over night. Heck, there weeks where I don't even charge my MacBook Pro M1 because the battery life is so good.

 

[tgwaste]

Come on usb-c haters, even you have to admit that this is useful.

who is a usb-c hater?

 

[tgwaste]

I’m still waiting for iPhone reverse MagSafe charging.

arent we all.

 

[bluecoast]

who is a usb-c hater?

People who hate that the EU forced Apple to relinquish their beloved lighting port.

 

[dannyyankou]

I actually prefer this over reverse wireless charging because you can actually use your phone while it's charging stuff.

 

[darngooddesign]

People who hate that the EU forced Apple to relinquish their beloved lighting port.

They aren't USB haters because they like it on their Macs.

 

[compwiz1202]

I wonder if you can put a MagSafe charger in the iP15 and charge another iP15? and if so, could you keep doing that in a chain with the original iP15 being charged from the wall and charge a bunch? Or would it not work, or at worst, explode?

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Yes I understand that but most people aren't carrying around a charging cable unless they know they will need to charge something because they are out all day and likely would bring a portable battery as well.

Also I'd assume most people are similar to me in that their is a better chance of their phone running out of power vs airpods. Reverse charging might be less efficient but should get enough power on your airpods for a couple of hours of listening, would be way more convenient and still shouldn't take that much power off your phone vs using a cord.

You could get a USB-C cable that fits in your keychain.
Or charge it in your car.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

Isn’t your AC calculation instaneous power, not average power which is more representative, i.e. P=IVcos (phase angle)?

Not sure if you're confusing RMS with inductive/capacitive components, but yeah sure, keeping it simple here.

With AC power, voltage is typically quoted as RMS voltage, not peak. And certainly not average, which would be more or less 0.

Anyway, yeah, I gave the equations for a purely resistive circuit, which is close enough for the audience in mind. Add in inductive/capacitive components to those equations, and you'll leave everyone completely confused.

 

[jlc1978]

Not sure if you're confusing RMS with inductive/capacitive components, but yeah sure, keeping it simple here.

Yea, it's been a while since I study it, just recalling the phase angle reduced the voltage below that of a straight DC circuit.

With AC power, voltage is typically quoted as RMS voltage, not peak. And certainly not average, which would be more or less 0.

EE has too many damn terms; that's why I was an aero. Only needed to remember the 4 fundamentals of flight: Stall, Spin, Crash and Burn...

Anyway, yeah, I gave the equations for a purely resistive circuit, which is close enough for the audience in mind. Add in inductive/capacitive components to those equations, and you'll leave everyone completely confused.

Isn't that the beauty of engineering?