The Apple MagSafe Duo release date may be imminent – here’s why

News
By David Lumb
published

Charge both iPhone 12 and Apple Watch at once, the Apple MagSafe way

MagSafe Duo Charger
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple's MagSafe Duo release date seems imminent now that the FCC has certified a 'Two Coil Charger' one month after it first appeared at the iPhone 12 launch event.

Apple’s solo MagSafe charger launched alongside the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, but the company held off on giving a date for the Duo, which can charge both an iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously. We still don’t have one, but the product is starting to get certified in several countries, including certification by the Korean NRRA regulatory agency and now FCC certification.

The filing (FCC ID A2458) for Apple's 'Two Coil Charger' includes several proposed layouts of the device, which, while not final, look a lot like the device Apple showed off at the event (seen in the main image above). See some of these proposed layouts collected by Twitter users Venkatesh Babu.G:

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Will we see the MagSafe Duo come out before the end of the year? That’s hard to say given the fact that Apple’s last launch event of 2020, One More Thing, announced a trio of Macs but no MagSafe devices. 

True, the accessory isn’t nearly as prominent as a mainline Apple device, so perhaps Apple will quietly announce its availability with a press release – heck, the tech giant quietly released the iPhone SE 2020 earlier this year without any sort of hype, let alone a full launch event. It’s possible the MagSafe Duo comes out in markets before the end of 2020, or early 2021 after holiday iPhone 12 sales expand the userbase of MagSafe products.

So what’s cool about MagSafe?

MagSafe is a new feature of the iPhone 12 line that uses magnets to securely clip on cases, wallet clips, and wireless chargers to the back of phones. Obviously, this means any older iPhones won’t be able to use the feature – but owners of the newest Apple handsets should be a bit more excited than just getting a more foolproof wireless charging system.

For instance, accessory company Moment has announced new tripods and mounts that work with MagSafe which allow you to use your iPhone 12 like a more traditional camera. But there are others we’ve seen that are promising and interesting, like a car stand that looks more secure than the clamp-style mounts we’ve seen before.

These have all been third-party accessories, and we’re reasonably sure Apple won’t release any ambitious MagSafe products. But given the demise of AirPower, even an official multi-device wireless charger from Apple is neat.

David Lumb
David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.