Fruit powder hasn't woken up yet? Huawei Xiaomi has long had 120W fast charging, why does the iPhone still stick to 20W slow charging
As smartphones continue to evolve, so does charging technology. The past 5V1A slow charging can no longer meet the needs of modern people for the efficient use of mobile phones, and fast charging technology came into being. Qualcomm was the first to launch a QC fast charging solution, and domestic mobile phone manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi have also joined the fast charging war, and have launched a super fast charging solution with 120W or even higher power.
In stark contrast to the rapid development of fast charging technology in the Android camp, Apple's iPhones seem to be stalled in this fast charging revolution. The latest iPhone 14 series models have a maximum charging power of only 20W, which is a significant gap with the 120W+ super fast charging of flagship models such as the Huawei Mate 50 Pro.
Apple doesn't seem to be too aggressive about rolling out faster charging technology. Back in 2017, iPhone 8 and iPhone X supported 18W wired fast charging, but you need to purchase a corresponding charger and data cable separately. It wasn't until the iPhone 14 series in 2022 that Apple increased the power of the charger that came standard at the factory to 20W.
The development of fast charging technology in the Android camp is in full swing. In 2020, Xiaomi has already launched a 120W Xiaomi power bank, which can charge a 4000mAh battery from 0 to 100% in 17 minutes. In 2022, Xiaomi 13Pro will be equipped with a 120W wired + 50W wireless + 10W reverse wireless triple fast charging solution.
As for Huawei, the 2021 Mate 40 Pro+ already supports 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless fast charging. In 2022, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro will increase the wired fast charging power to 135W, and the wireless fast charging power to 50W, which can charge the battery from 1% to 100% in just 19 minutes.
In addition to Xiaomi and Huawei, other mobile phone manufacturers such as OPPO, vivo, realme, etc. have also launched their own high-power fast charging solutions, and the maximum power has exceeded the 100W mark. In stark contrast, Apple seems to be slow to develop fast charging technology.
Why is Apple so slow to develop fast charging technology? Insiders have several possible reasons.
Battery safety and longevity considerations. Although fast charging technology can greatly reduce the charging time, it can also put more heat and stress on the battery. If the fast charging power is too high, it may affect the service life of the battery and even pose a safety hazard. Apple has always attached great importance to product quality and user experience, perhaps because of concerns about battery safety and life, it did not rush to launch an overly high-power fast charging solution.
Supply chain and cost control considerations. The launch of high-power fast charging solutions requires corresponding upgrades to hardware such as chargers, data cables, and batteries, which will undoubtedly increase production costs. Apple, on the other hand, has always been very cautious about its supply chain and cost control, which may be due to its reluctance to significantly increase costs for the sake of fast charging functions.
Maybe it's for marketing strategy reasons. Apple has always liked to leave some room for upgrades when a new product is released to entice consumers to buy a new model. If ultra-high-power fast charging is introduced on the current model, it will be difficult to have much bright spot in the charging function in the next few years, thus losing an important marketing selling point.
There are also suggestions that Apple may be waiting for the further maturity of wireless fast charging technology. Compared with wired fast charging, wireless fast charging is superior in terms of portability and user experience. Apple may want to wait for the wireless fast charging technology to reach a certain level, and then launch a wireless fast charging solution at one time to get a better user experience.
Regardless of Apple's considerations, fast charging is a rigid need for modern mobile phone users. As mobile phones continue to evolve, the battery capacity is getting larger and the charging time is getting longer. Fast charging technology not only shortens the charging time, but also saves users a lot of time and effort.
There is a strong demand for faster charging speeds. According to relevant survey data, the fast charging function has become one of the important considerations for consumers when purchasing mobile phones. If Apple continues to rest on its laurels and insists on using the relatively backward 20W slow charging technology, it will inevitably lose a large number of consumers who pursue an efficient and convenient experience.
In the future, Apple may be forced to follow the lead of its competitors and launch higher power fast charging solutions. In the smartphone market, Apple has been facing stiff competition from the Android camp. If it continues to lag behind in the fast charging function, it is likely to affect the market share of the iPhone.
The introduction of high-power wired fast charging solutions is only a stopgap measure. In the long run, wireless fast charging technology is the big trend in the future. Compared with wired charging, wireless charging is better in terms of portability and user experience, and it is also more conducive to the development of mobile phones in the direction of wireless and simplified.
Apple may use wireless fast charging technology as a breakthrough. At present, Apple has invested a lot of R&D resources in the field of wireless charging, and may launch a wireless fast charging solution with excellent performance in the future to make up for the lack of wired fast charging.
The development of fast charging technology has become an irreversible trend. As a leader in the mobile phone industry, Apple will need to keep up with this wave of fast charging sooner or later, or risk being left far behind by its competitors. It is expected that Apple will be able to bring consumers a faster, smarter, and more user-friendly charging experience in the near future.