New iPhones for 2018 may come with this 18W USB-C charger

Apple's upcoming iPhone and iPad refresh for 2018 is rumored to take advantage of fast charging out of the box, and that means, if true, the device will come with a USB-C charger.

Now we've seen photos of an 18W USB-C charger that belongs to the iPhone XI and iPad Pro 2018, according to a rumor from Asian supply chain site Macotakara. It looks a lot like the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL charging brick.

The unverified charger you see could be a third-party fake, warns 9to5mac, but the size does fit perfectly in between the existing 5W iPhone and 10W iPad chargers. 

The iPhone XI, iPhone 9 and iPad Pro 2018 should include an 18W charger and lightning-to-USB-C cable to support fast charging without the need to buy anything extra.

Why it'll change your charging habits

Fast charging is already possible with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, but the two necessary accessories don't come in the box. 

You'll need both a Lightning-to-USB-C cable and a USB-C charger – using a bulky 12-inch MacBook or MacBook Pro charger always works, too.

The benefits are pretty great – you can fast-charge a newer iPhone from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes. And if this rumored new charger is the real deal it'll be a long-overdue replacement for Apple's old 5W charger.

Matt Swider