Every year, in the months leading up to Apple’s announcement of its next iPhone, the Internet becomes abuzz with rumors of what might be featured on the new device. A vast majority of these are baseless, and sometimes even completely far-fetched. One recent rumor concerning the charging capabilities of the iPhone 8, however, seems to have some traction. In a report from MacRumors, initial speculations about the iPhone 8's inclusion of fast charging functionality gained added credibility with a research note provided by Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis.
In the note, Curtis claimed that the iPhone 8 will ship with a 10W wall charger with a USB-C connector. Curtis further went on to reveal that both the device itself and the charger will sport integrated USB-C Power Delivery chips from Cypress Semiconductor – supposedly the same CYPD2104 chip seen in the 10.5-inch model of the iPad Pro.
The integration of USB-C Power Delivery might lead hopeful consumers to question whether or not the main port on the device itself will also be USB-C. However, if the new models of the iPad Pro are to serve as reference, it is much more likely that iPhone 8 will simply ship with a Lightning to USB-C cable. It should be noted that since the current 5W power adapter for the iPhone features a USB-A port, the new cable would likely be incompatible with older adapters – unless Apple also decides to include a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
In addition to faster charging, the iPhone 8 is also rumored to feature wireless charging. However, as we reported earlier in the year, the performance may be rather lackluster. For users who place a priority on fast charging, the 10W USB-C wall charger seems to be Apple’s answer.