“It was yesterday suggested that Apple may be partnering with Energous, developer of a wireless charging technology known as WattUp,” Ben Lovejoy writes for 9to5Mac. “The company later issued a statement downplaying the evidence for the partnership, but – notably – without actually denying it.”
Lovejoy writes, “Either way, it seems pretty clear by now that Apple is indeed waiting for either this or some similar long-distance wireless charging tech, and it is absolutely right to do so.”
“Apple should hold fire until wireless charging can be done properly,” Lovejoy writes. “Apple could have trivially incorporated today’s terrible version of wireless charging into the iPhone 7 had it wanted to, but the company clearly shares my view that this would be pointless.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: All of todays’s so-called “wireless” charging contraptions all have one thing in common – some sort of wired dock or pad rendering them decidedly wired.
It’s stupid. It’s half-assed. It’s Samsungian. (Note: Do not try to charge a Samsung iPhone knockoff as it might explode and burn down your house.)
The time it takes to plop our iPhones into their docks vs. our Apple Watches onto their Magnetic Charging Docks is equal. Apple is right to wait until truly wireless charging is possible and perfected.
SEE ALSO:
Apple and a truly wireless future: AirPods are just the start – September 10, 2016
Apple explores charging stations for electric vehicles, sources say – May 25, 2016
Apple possibly working with Energous on extended range wireless charging for future iPhones – February 5, 2016
Apple developing cutting-edge long-range wirelessly-charged iPhones and iPads – January 29, 2016
iPhone 7 and the potential for wireless charging – January 19, 2016
Apple will drop headphone jack to make the iPhone 7 super slim, source confirms; wireless charging and waterproof, too – January 7, 2016
Apple looks to patent inductive charging system that could power an Apple Pencil or even a future kitchen appliance – January 7, 2016
Apple files 5th wireless inductive charging patent application since Late September – November 5, 2015\
Apple patent application reveals iPhone inductive charging sans extra hardware – October 8, 2015
Patent application reveals Apple working on wireless charging systems focused on rapid power delivery – August 27, 2015
Apple invents inductive charging interfaces for mobile devices – April 2, 2015
Apple ‘iPhone 7’ models likely to offer wireless charging – April 2, 2015
Samsung has decided to again one up Apple and is working on wireless technology that will wirelessly set its phones ablaze.
I think you have this entirely wrong!
Samsung is actually working on a miniature Fire Extinguisher that will wirelessly put out the fire caused by their innovative battery technology.
Or a flame thrower too
I’m no engineer, but it seems to me that wireless charging would not be as energy efficient as wired. If that is the case, that is a good enough reason to hold off until it is.
Over a year’s worth of time, it costs around 50 cents or $0.50 to charge an iPhone 6 if electricity costs 12.29 cents per kilowatt-hour. Energous technology is currently 70% efficient, so there would need to be another 22 cents per iPhone worth of power generated in a year. This is negligible, even when multiplying that by 600M or so iPhones.
Someone on another blog mentioned it would be too costly for stores like Starbucks to provide wireless power, but it would only cost a business like Starbucks about $14.40 a year to wirelessly charge an average of 20 customers. This is a few more dollars than using a plug.
A metalic body as the current iPhone uses will not work for wireless charging.
iPhone has a beautiful design and noble materials, but for a radio device is not a very fortunate decission. Look the existing lines for the antenas, they spoil a bit the design; the wireless charger would require even more lines and plastic sections in the body!
The rumor is next iphone will be a ceramic case like the New Watch Edition in white
The only thing I would say is that if you could use the same charger as for an Apple watch it would be one cable rather than two.
In the next couple of weeks, the headline will read: “Why Apple is WRONG to hold back on wireless charging for the iPhone.”
Wireless charging is the worst use of the word “wireless”. If anything else was wireless in the same way, it would never make it in the market.
Check out these wireless headphones! Just hold your head so that they’re touching the player. We offer wireless internet… but only if you place your device riiiight here. We’re using wireless mic’s in today’s conference, but don’t leave the podium or they won’t work.
I have serious concerns about the potential health effects of wireless products, and strong electric currents that are too close to the human body. This is especially worrisome for kids, all of whom have developing bodies.
I don’t use wireless at home and, thankfully, at work the WiFi router is down the hallway.
So I would never want to be in a place with “power constantly available to any device anywhere in the home.” If it’s constantly in the air, that means you are constantly exposed.
Damn dung from Samsung™
Since my new car has a Qi wireless charging pad I have switched entirely to wireless charging. That being said it has taken a while to find a reliable receiver for my iPhone and charging pads for the office and home. Now that it has been set up, it is great not to have to plug in on a routine basis. When traveling though wired still seems to be the best option.
Huh? But the watch wasn’t perfected. Neither was the Newton, ATV4, the update to the iPad pro, which bricked the iPads, or even IOS 10, which also froze machines.
So when Apple release uncooked meat it’s fine, but when Sammy release it, it’s uncooked and not edible. Got it.
Wireless charging works pretty well with the Apple watch.
My toothbrush has wireless inductive charging. My Apple Watch has wireless inductive charging. My iPhone would benefit from same, because I’m tired of late night attempts to hit the charging-hole and NOT the space between iPhone and it’s protective case… it’s really annoying even in my many docs; you have to maneuver it perfectly or you just won’t hit the hole… Your comments are as lame as your BLOATED ads.
Haha. Jim.
You noticed the bizzaro groupthink on this site too?
MDN’s childish fanobyism attracts obsessive loonies like ‘peterbulge’ or ‘derek curry’ who make YouTube trolls look sane.
Apple is going to be late to the party, again. By the time they ‘perfect’ their wireless charging system it’ll be old news.
Cook is apparently happy to skate to where the puck was two summer’s ago but apparently $10b in R&D is insufficient to keep up.