With Apple’s newest iPhone launch, most people are talking about the 5G capabilities and camera quality. What stuck out to us though is their use of magnets!  Now, this isn’t new — we’ve written about Apple’s use of magnets over the years, which you can check out in this blog post here. We also know Apple has harnessed the power of magnets before when it comes to revolutionizing electronics — in 2018, Apple’s iPad Pro had a whopping 102 magnets in it! We got nerdy about that one in this blog post. What’s interesting about this MagSafe technology is that it’s not entirely new — Apple had used it in their Macbooks until 2016. So, why switch back and in the iPhone rather than Macbooks?  The Original MagSafe MagSafe was introduced by Apple on January 10, 2006 to be used on their Macbook Pros. The magnets within a connector were arranged in opposing polarities to improve coupling strength. The connector of the charging cable was held in place magnetically, so that when it was tugged, it would pull out of the socket. The MagSafe line stopped in 2016 when Apple opted for more standard ports, Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C.  MagSafe Reimagined This time around, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro series will have a wireless power transfer connector that, when added to the charging mat, will provide up to 15 W of power. The intelligent system connector also enables connecting with non-charging magnet accessories such as wallet, cover, and a combo folding charger for both the iPhone and Apple Watch. This means, swapping cases and accessories is easier than ever thanks to the power of magnets, no need for adhesives. In the future, this opens up the possibility of completely portless phones Seeing that this isn’t a usual phone upgrade, Apple has said third-party accessories will be available as well.  Stay Updated on the Latest in Magnet Technology with Apex One of the issues with the original MagSafe was the connector losing its magnetic abilities and overheating, causing frays and exposed wiring. As this new MagSafe doesn’t have any wires or cables, this shouldn’t be a problem. Stay tuned for more updates. If you want to learn about more ways magnets are used in electronics, check out this post. Image credit: Apple