Apple's iOS 174 update added many new features to the operating system However, one of the most important updates for iPhone 12 owners has been a mystery until now

The iOS 174 update adds Qi2 charging support for iPhone 12 models, Macworld confirmed after receiving user reports and conducting its own tests With this update, iPhone 12 users can now take advantage of Qi2's 15W charging instead of the 75W charging that was forced before the update

To take advantage of Qi2 wireless charging, users do not need to do anything other than update to iOS 174 As long as you keep your phone up-to-date (and own a Qi2 wireless charger), you can start fast charging

Apple first supported Qi2 charging with the iPhone 15 model, but quickly added support for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 with the iOS 172 upgrade last year At the time, it was unclear why Apple did not extend support to the iPhone 12, or if it was even possible given that the iPhone 12 is an older model But now it is clear that it was possible, and this feature is now available to iPhone 12 owners

Apple released iOS 174 earlier this month The update includes a new Stolen Device Protection feature that limits the possibility of someone stealing the device and the user's passcode to gain immediate control of the phone It also comes with podcast transcripts, new emojis, and a Siri upgrade that allows the virtual assistant to read messages in different languages, among other features

It is unclear why Apple did not announce Qi2 charging support for iPhone 12 models It is also unclear if other feature updates that provide improvements to older devices as well have yet to be discovered

In any case, the addition of Qi2 is a boon for iPhone 12 owners: in Macworld tests, the iPhone 12 took only 38 minutes with Apple's MagSafe charger and only slightly faster with the Anker Qi2 MagGo wireless charger, which was capable of zero to 30 percent As iPhone 12 users can tell you, this is significantly faster than 75W charging

Previously, iPhone 12 owners could use the Qi2 charger to extend their device's battery life, but its support was limited to 75W Now, they can get the most from these chargers without having to purchase anything else