Whether or not to charge your iPhone wirelessly is a question that generates much discussion. Is it good for your iPhone’s battery or is it better to charge it with a cable? One thing is certain, for the sake of the environment, it is better to charge your iPhone with a cable.
You may have already read this message from Apple, because in the EU, Apple is required, since the iPhone 15, to give a warning that wireless charging is worse for the environment when charging wirelessly for the first time. This can also be read on their support pagewe explain why.
Wireless charging and the environment
Since the iPhone 15, you’ve seen a notification the first time you use a wireless charger in the European Union or countries or regions belonging to the European Free Trade Association. At the EU’s behest, the notification says that wireless charging can use more power than wired charging.
Why would you think? That is because of the extra heat that wireless charging produces. Not that this has an immediate effect on global warming, but because of the extra heat the charger uses more power. Think of it as an old-fashioned light bulb, this produced heat in addition to light, which made the energy consumption so much higher.
This is also the case with wireless charging, so it is better to charge your iPhone directly with the cable. This minimizes power loss and also produces less residual heat.
Is wireless charging bad?
The iPhone is optimized for wireless charging and Apple’s software does everything it can to limit damage to the iPhone battery. So in general, it is not a problem to charge your device wirelessly.
However, you should keep in mind that wireless charging of your iPhone can have negative consequences. This is especially the case with ‘cheaper’ wireless chargers that do not have built-in protection against overheating. Good quality wireless chargers monitor the temperature and will switch back to a lower charging power when it gets too hot. The iPhone will also do this, which limits overheating.
In addition, frequent use of wireless charging can accelerate battery cycles, causing them to wear out faster. Do you want to get more out of your iPhone battery? Then standard charging via the cable is recommended.