Initial reactions to Apple’s MagSafe Wallet for the iPhone 12 raises questions over the strength of the accessories. The first batch of MagSafe products include a charger, several cases, and a mini leather wallet. While the charger doesn’t need to have a strong hold, as it is mostly for proper alignment, other accessories that provide protection or hold other valuable items, do need a reliably strong connection.
Apple’s MagSafe technology is new, though the concept of magnetic attachment and magnetic charging has a longer history. The first MagSafe product was a charging cable for a MacBook. The charging was a direct electrical connection, but magnets held the cord in place so tripping over the cord wouldn’t cause the MacBook to crash to the floor. Looking at newer products, the Apple Watch has always used wireless magnetic charging and the 2018 (and later) iPad Pro and iPad Air 4 uses magnetic charging for the Apple Pencil 2.
As pointed out by 9to5 Mac, several early reviews of Apple MagSafe accessories note that the magnetic grip is not as strong as expected. This is particularly obvious with the MagSafe Wallet. Since the Wallet attaches to the back of the iPhone 12 and the only thing holding it is magnetic force, it is doomed to failure. Rene Ritchie was prepared for a strong snap, when placing the Wallet on the iPhone 12, but found it was fairly mild and came off easily. This really falls on Apple designers that apparently didn’t think anyone would ever want to put their iPhone in a pocket. The moment it slides into a pants pocket, the Wallet comes loose, as demonstrated by Marques Brownlee. While it may be fine in a jacket pocket, the likelihood of loosing any valuable cards stowed in the MagSafe Wallet brings the name into question.
When using the charger, it isn’t really much of a concern and, in fact, some reviewers found they could swing their iPhone by the magnetic charger’s cable, as noted by Jonathan Morrison. The MagSafe cases are similarly solid, but these wrap around the edges, so any movement would have to be perpendicular to the iPhone 12. Magnets can have a very strong pull force at a 90-degree angle (when directly opposing the magnetic force), but are much less effective at preventing twisting or sliding movements. Think about refrigerator magnets. A small note can be held very securely, but add something larger and the magnet suddenly seems quite weak. A similar design appears to be what is now coming to light with Apple’s MagSafe Wallet.
Apple has not responded to these issues, but admittedly the iPhone 12 and MagSafe accessories are only just beginning to reach customers. There is a possibility that a few defective MagSafe Wallets were received by these notable YouTube reviewers, but that isn’t likely. The problem has more to do with the nature of magnets. Maybe it is a case of the designers falling in love with the look of the MagSafe Wallet, without running it past the engineering team before sending it to market.
Source: 9to5 Mac
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