ZDNet:
As if laying out $1,000 on a new iPhone X isn’t expensive enough, Apple hasn’t even included the equipment necessary to benefit from its new fast-charging capability.
Ignore the “hasn’t even included” rhetoric and read on.
The feature is available in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X unveiled this week by Apple. It means a flat battery can reach a half charge within 30 minutes, which is as fast as new flagship Android devices that support fast charging.
Apple’s specs page for the all three devices says they’re “fast-charge capable.” But then, in fine print, Apple declares that it tested fast-charging on the devices with Apple USB-C power adapters, and lists its 29W Model A1540, 61W Model A1718, and 87W Model A1719 power adapters.
Bottom line, the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X will rapid charge if you use a 29W adapter, which you likely have if you own a MacBook or MacBook Pro with a USB-C port. Not certain of this, but I suspect they will also rapid-charge on an iPad 29W charger. [Dave: Nope, no iPad 29W charger. Musta dreamed that.]
And, I also suspect less expensive 3rd party chargers will be hitting the shelves as well, though do a bit of homework first to make sure the chargers are properly tested and recommended by folks that do that sort of thing.
UPDATE: Here’s a good thread discussing the various chargers. And another. Some nice detail in both. [H/T Mark Crump]
Which iPad includes a 29w charger? The 12.9? I just got a 10.5″ Pro and it came with a 12w charger.
ZDNet is as reliable a news source as TWIT.tv.
Use them only for comic relief
The MSM is happy to fabricate controversy when and wherever it can. President Trump and Apple are among its favorite targets.
The 29W charger comes with the MacBook 12″. The 61W charger comes with the MacBook Pro 13″ Touchbar, and the 87W comes with the MacBook Pro 15″ Touchbar. All three can be used today to fast charge iPad Pros, using a USB-C to Lightning cable. The same will hold true for the new iPhones, it appears. So while there is no “iPad 29W charger”, the 29W charger that Apple sells ostensibly for MacBook charging does the trick just fine. There are support docs mentioning this if I recall, but I don’t think the charger is branded for “MacBooks and iPad” on the box.
I have a 87W charger which charges my iPad Pro rapidly today, and a third party Cable Matters 60W which will charge my MacBook 60W, but will NOT fast charge my iPad Pro. There’s a dizzying amount of cables and chargers behind USB-C style plugs. USB 3.1, Thunderbolt for starters. And then within them, different standards and feature sets.
It’s why lots of USB-C cables on Amazon get bad reviews, and also why Apple’s chargers and cables get bought in droves, and then are given bad reviews (due to the excessive cost).
You really need to try to get at least one hand on reality, my friend. This is not a good look on you.
I think it’s a valid point. Yes, it comes with fast-charging capabilities, but no, you can’t fast-charge it out of the box. Android devices that support fast charging, like the S8, come with a fast charger. For the iPhone, you need to buy a separate fast-charger, whether it be a MacBook charger you already have, bought separately, or via 3rd party. Probably waiting for the AirPower mat would be your best bet, but who knows how much that will cost. I’m guessing at least $99.
And seriously, I’m getting a little tired with Apple’s ASP increasing nickle-and-diming. This year’s is the $50 increase in base price for 64GB storage(yes, NAND storage prices have increased and the base went up from 32GB to 64GB I get that), the elimination of the middle storage tier, and then the $150 jump to 256GB. It’s like Apple is tracking exactly how much storage most people need, and then only offering sizes that are either too small or too large. And of course there’s the ultimate upsell that is the X.
USB is ubiquitous enough that phone manufacturers shouldn’t include a charger in the box at all. I think this is the law in the EU, which makes sense – the world doesn’t need hundreds of millions of new, mostly crappy USB chargers every year. (I’d make the same argument for headphones too – how many sets of Apple earbuds have never been used?)
Failing that, I think Apple’s decision to include the very small USB A charger in the box (with non-EU models) is a good one.
It seems that USB C is a turning into a huge mess, unfortunately. The only thing worse than having a whole bunch of different connectors is a bunch of different connectors that look the same.
Will it fast charge off the computer?
Roughly none on the earbuds question, I think. There’s always someone around that needs a pair.
If you have extras, let me know and I’ll send you my address. 🙂
Ha! Your experience is quite different from mine. I know I have a few extra… somewhere. Most people I know either never use headphones or have at least one better set (Airpods, Seinheiser, beats, etc)
I believe it. I think it’s just bad luck or bad habits: Somehow I keep washing mine.
As for a better set: I’ve bought so many over the years, but I keep coming back to those stupid Apple ones because they work. I can’t believe how many headphones have a bad remote, or put it on the left side.
I’m hoping to get a set of AirPods next month, and maybe I’ll feel differently then.
To further confound things, there’s multiple standards using the connector everyone wants to call USB-C, for example, Thunderbolt, which has vastly different features, functionality and charging potential than straight USB 3.1.
You’ve got to buy the 29W charger and USB-C to Lightning cable separately for your iPad Pro. Which I did.
Yea, I know…
Dead earbuds = more refrigerator magnets.
The article did say that, but Dave has since corrected. You also removed the reference from your comment.
“None. I don’t believe the article says that either, or at least Dave’s write up doesn’t.”
When editing or changing your comment, it’s better to leave the original reference so followup comments don’t suddenly not make sense.