With previous generations of AirPods, it was possible to charge the charging case with a MagSafe charger. Officially, Apple did not highlight this possibility, but since there were magnets on the back of the charging case, users took advantage of it to use their iPhone’s MagSafe charger. Now, with the AirPods 4, this advantage disappears!
MagSafe charging no longer possible
A few days ago, we learned that Apple had removed the pairing button on the back of the AirPods 4 charging case for a completely different approach. Indeed, Apple has now integrated a button by capacitive mechanism that is hidden on the front of the charging case. As a result, the user just has to press the front of the case with their finger to pair their wireless headphones with a Bluetooth-compatible device.
Is this the only change Apple has made? Not at all.
Recent reviews from journalists and influencers posted online today described a rather disappointing phenomenon they noticed with the AirPods 4: there are no more magnets on the back of the charging case.
The removal of magnets means two things: users will no longer be able to benefit from the magnetic grip that MagSafe charging offered, but they will only be able to enjoy wireless charging by placing their AirPods case on a compatible charger. The good news is that the magnetic charger that comes with the Apple Watch can still charge the AirPods case, so you won’t need to invest in a new accessory!
This choice was not explained by Apple, the company seems to have perhaps wanted to save money on the manufacturing cost of the AirPods 4 which are offered at a rather attractive price. As a reminder, the AirPods 4 will be available from Friday, September 20 for delivery, collection in Apple Stores as well as from resellers!
