Let's clear some things up:
Wireless Charging refers to the Qi wireless charging standard that allows you to charge your phone without directly plugging it in. You place it on a charging pad, or in the case of the new iPhone 12, the MagSafe charger will magnetically align it for you. You have to plug the base (transmitter) into the wall - it can't obtain power from thin air.
USB-C charging conforms to the USB-C Power Delivery spec in which it negotiates higher charging rates. To get those higher rates, you need a USB-C charger rated to at least 20W. You can use a higher one with no problem. If you use a lower rated one (i.e. the 5W charger) but, you won't get the faster charging speeds; it may not even charge at all.
The "regular" USB type A charger (that everyone has) can typically supply up to 12 watts of power. You can use a charger that supplies more, but the phone will not draw any more than 12 watts. Again, I recommend, using chargers with higher wattage ratings.
Anker PowerIQ is Anker's technology that identifies what it's connected to so that it can deliver the maximum charge to the device connected. The first generation of PowerIQ delivered up to 12W and PowerIQ 2.0 can deliver up to 18W. These really have nothing to do with Apple's products per se other than they are compatible.
TL;DR
The charger (the thing that plugs into the wall) is required; period. Regardless if it's USB-A or USB-C, you can always use a "larger" charger than what is called for, in fact, I recommend it. A USB-A charger will typically max out at 12W (5V @ 2.4A). A USB-C charger will go up to 20W.
If you go wireless, you still need a charger (USB-C) and the maximum you'll get is 15W using MagSafe and only half that (7.5W) using a regular Qi charger. No matter what, you still need to plug the Qi base into the wall and the sizing rules still apply - get an adapter "larger" than what you need (i.e. get at least 20W). You can use a USB-C MacBook charger rated at 91W with no problems whatsoever. The 5W charger that came in the iPhone SE box will not cut it.
You can use either the new USB-C charger with Power Delivery or your can use the older USB (type A) chargers that supply 5V at 2.4 Amps
Answer from Allan on Stack ExchangeVideos
I am in awe about how fast my phone charges with the iPhone branded 30-watt USB-C charger. The 30- watt charging block is a pretty penny but worth every dime. I can also charge my iPhone 6 and iPhone X with the USB-C charger and get surprising results. This charger can charge my phone from 20% to 67% in 12 minutes. Of I was using my phone while it sets, the results are quite the same! While the USB-C cord comes with the new iPhone 12’s, you will have to buy a charger block for the wall. The iPhone 12 pro can tolerate the highest wattage charging block on this phone of 96 watts USB-C charger block, but it costs a pretty penny. I wonder if anyone has been as impressed as I am about the charging speed on these phones. I suggest that anyone that buys a charger get these chargers!
Hi guys, I just switched over to a 12 Pro Max a few days ago from an XS Max & I’m wondering which Powder Adapter do y’all use/recommend?
I’ve been using a 30w USB-C adapter on my XS Max & noted nothing of it & managed to be at 88% Battery Health after 2.5 years.
But I’ve noticed that my 12 Pro Max heats up when using it so I’ve switched over to a 12w USB-A adapter.
Is this a problem that people are facing as well?
P/s I’m on IOS 14.5, not sure if this is a point of concern so I figured I’ll just mention it.
So I’ve been extensively testing the fast charging capabilities of the mini. And for a long time I thought the phone was getting the full 20 watts power when using a lightning to usb c cable with the usb c pd power brick. It seems as though I was wrong. I bought multiple power meters, and the reading indicates I get around 13-15 watts even on a dead battery. Has anyone done any testing on this? Apple states the mini gets 12 watts from magsafe. If the mini doesn’t get the full 20, it’s not a big deal I’m just curious.
Side note: the 12 mini does charge 0-50+ in 30 minutes so I guess that’s something.
I like to keep the same phone for a long time (upgrading from the 6 Plus to the 12 Pro Max). I read that the 20W fast charger can degrade the battery life so I've been paranoid about which one to use. Any help is much appreciated.