ZDNET Picks 10 iPhone Gadgets as Prime Day Sales End Tonight

Q: With iPhone 17 promising 40W charging, are today's recommended chargers already becoming obsolete?

Not entirely, but many are already becoming suboptimal if the goal is to get the iPhone 17’s full charging speed. The key distinction is compatibility versus peak performance. Most of today’s recommended USB-C chargers will still charge an iPhone 17, and many accessories highlighted by ZDNET are not chargers at all, so they are unaffected. But for charging specifically, older 20W adapters and standard 15W MagSafe gear will no longer deliver the fastest experience on the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. The new models are reported to support up to 40W wired charging and 25W Qi2 wireless charging. That means a typical 20W iPhone charger, long considered the practical standard, will work but will cap speeds well below the phone’s maximum. Likewise, older MagSafe and generic Qi chargers that top out around 15W or less will remain usable, but not optimal. What matters now is charger specification, not just wattage. To reach the full 40W wired rate, users will likely need a USB-C PD 3.1 charger rated at 40W or higher, with the right cable and support for the newer charging profile. For wireless, a Qi2.2-compatible charger is needed to hit 25W. So the current generation of chargers is not obsolete in the everyday sense; it is simply less future-proof. For overnight charging or casual use, today’s chargers remain fine. For buyers upgrading to iPhone 17 and wanting the advertised top speeds, newer chargers will be the better match.

3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jun 26

ZDNET highlighted 10 small iPhone accessories it says can add practical functions, with several still discounted before Amazon's Prime Day ends tonight.
The list centers on add-ons for both USB-C and Lightning iPhones, including a bug-bite heat tool, a 3-in-1 charging cable, portable storage and SD card readers.
Security and media use cases also feature prominently, with ZDNET pointing to Yubico's USB-C YubiKey, Lexar's NFC-unlocking portable SSD and Apple's EarPods for recording and calls.
Price is part of the pitch: Apple’s card reader is cited at $40, while Anker’s universal alternative is listed on sale for $9.