iOS 13 Warning: Apple OS Slashing Third-Party Charger Performance, Report Says

Fast charging is one of the best things that ever happened to smartphone charging. Fast chargers only take a fraction of the time it takes regular chargers to bring a smartphone battery from zero to 100. Wireless fast chargers do that too, with the added convenience of not having to plug a cord to the smartphone. Plus, because these accessories are widely available, everyone can enjoy their benefits.

But what happens if a software update slashes a wireless charger’s ability to charge a smartphone quickly? That’s what ChargerLab found out.

ChargerLab reported that iOS 13.1 seems to limit the effectiveness of some third-party wireless chargers in charging iPhones. The site reported that according to its tests, an iPhone running on iOS 13.1 is only able to receive 5W charging from a 7.5W wireless charger.

How did it happen?

The site noted that it first conducted wireless charging tests on the iPhone 11 using third-party wireless chargers that support Apple 7.5W wireless charging. The test was conducted before Apple could roll iOS 13.1 out on Sept. 24.

The test revealed that the iPhone 11 performed “very well in iOS 13.” The wireless charger’s output quickly reached 10W after the iPhone was turned on. The iPhone, on the other hand, steadily received 7.5W charging power lasting for almost an hour and 40 minutes.

A graph on the site revealed that by using a 7.5W wireless charger, the iPhone 11 went from zero to 100% in 3 hours, 19 minutes and 22 seconds. This changes when a 5W wired charger is used: the iPhone 11 went from 0 to 100% after 3 hours, 45 minutes and 30 seconds.

ChargerLab conducted another test after iOS 13.1 was rolled out and found that it negatively affected third-party chargers’ performances. In iOS 13.1, third-party wireless chargers were only able to give out 6-7W of wireless charging power. The iPhone 11 running on iOS 13.1, as mentioned, only received 5W of power.

Another graph detailed the huge difference between wireless charging times when the iPhone 11 was running iOS 13 (3:19:30), and when it ran iOS 13.1 (4:00:20). The site said that it used the same charger for the tests.

ChargerLab noted that this issue doesn’t affect third-party chargers that are available at the Apple Store, such as Anker, Belkin, Logitech, Mophie and Native Union.