No charger included: Do you really need this pricey iPhone 12 extra?

Though a charger is not included when buying the new iPhone 12, do you really need one? — dpa

If you buy an iPhone 12 you’ll have to buy a charger separately or else use your old one - all that Apple supplies with this new phone is a USB-C to Lightning cable.

Fortunately you don’t have to buy another expensive Apple accessory, as any smartphone charger should do the job - provided it has adequate power wattage.

In fact chargers from third-party manufacturers can not only be cheaper, but also faster at charging. The iPhone 12 models can charge at up to 20 watts in fast-charging mode, but you’ll need to have a charger that has that wattage.

Older iPhones (so-called “fast charging” has been available since iPhone 8) can charge at up to 18 watts.

If you want to achieve fast charging it’s essential that you buy a wired (not wireless) charger that supports the USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) charging standard.

Many Android devices also support USB-PD, so you can use the same charging brick for both Android and iOS devices.

If the power supply unit has significantly more watts than the smartphone can take, this isn’t a problem as USB-PD allows the two to communicate about how much voltage should flow.

Although some Android smartphones now charge at upwards of 100 watts, buying a charger with more than 20 watts won’t get your iPhone charged any faster.

If you have to replace your USB-C to Lightning cable you should look carefully at the labelling before buying. The experts say it doesn’t have to be an original Apple cable, but it’s recommended that you get a cable that’s “Mfi” certified - “Made for iPhone/ iPad/ iPod.” – dpa