2018 iPhone Rumor: Apple Might Include 18W USB-C Power Adapter In The Box

Apple’s 2018 iPhones are expected to be released later this year and it looks like all three of them might ship with better chargers. A new rumor suggests that the 2018 iPhones might ship with USB Type-C power adapters that would enable fast charging.

Apple is said to be planning to upgrade all of its 2018 iPhone models with better USB-C support and all of them could ship with 18W power adapters. The 2018 iPhones will also ship with USB-C to Lightning cables, so users can immediately take advantage of fast charging straight out of the box, according to a leaker from the Chinese social website Weibo. The leaker claims to have gained this information from supply chain sources.

The leaker also shared an illustration of what the new USB-C power adapter will look like. It seems like the new power adapter features a slight redesign with its oval-shaped form factor, instead of the typical square-shaped iPhone power adapter.

An 18W USB-C power adapter would allow fast charging speeds that can charge an iPhone from 0 percent to 50 percent in just 30 minutes, as pointed out by MacRumors. This type of fast charging is already supported on the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the iPhone X. However, the current-generation iPhones only ship with the standard 5W power adapters and users need to purchase a USB-C MacBook power adapter and a USB-C to Lightning cable to take advantage of the fast charging capabilities.

The cheapest USB-C MacBook power adapter is $49 and it is already capable of outputting 29W. Meanwhile, a 1 meter USB-C to Lightning cable costs $19. Users would have to pay a total of $68 if they want to use fast charging for their iPhone X and iPhone 8. Alternatively, users who already have an iPad can also use its 12W power adapter to bring fast charging to their iPhone X. But if they don’t have an iPad, they would have to purchase the 12W adapter for $19.

Including an 18W USB-C power adapter would be a welcome change for customers who aren’t keen on buying additional accessories just to take advantage of the fast charging feature. Numerous Android manufacturers already ship their phones with fast charging power adapters and it makes sense for Apple to do the same. After all, Apple has already been using USB-C technology for its MacBook lineup.