“Rumors of a potential partnership between Apple and long-distance wireless charging firm Energous refuse to die,” Mikey Campbell reports for AppleInsider. “In the latest tidbit, market analyst Louis Basenese points to the recent defection of an Apple product manager, who is now helping Energous gain federal regulatory approval for its various consumer product offerings.”
“Basenese points to Billy Manning, who served as Apple’s Regulatory Certification Program Manager for seven years before taking on the position of Director of Regulatory Operations at Energous in September,” Campbell reports. “While at Apple, Manning was responsible for obtaining and maintaining regulatory certification for iPhone, iPad and iPod in major markets including China, Japan, the EU and the U.S.”
“Energous’ WattUp platform uses small antennas to transfer energy over fairly long distances, much farther than existing wireless charging solutions that rely on traditional inductive charging coils. Beyond sheer distance, the charging process is controlled by software, meaning end users can prioritize the order in which devices receive power, create charging schedules and more,” Campbell reports. “As for Apple, the company is clearly investigating a possible branded long-distance wireless charging solution. In September, the company reportedly put out feelers asking a select subset of chip suppliers for wireless charging component samples.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The evidence continues to pile up and we’re not even in 2017, yet!
Right now, the Apple Watch’s wireless charging is nice because it’s less fiddly, and especially useful in the dark, but it’s still essentially a corded charging system in practice.
Energous’ solutions are real wireless charging and would be a huge game-changer if it came to iPhone (and possibly iPad and Apple Watch, too)!
SEE ALSO:
Apple supplier Dialog partners with wireless charging company Energous – December 15, 2016
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple’s next-gen iPhone to feature all-glass case for wireless charging – November 23, 2016
Two major ‘iPhone 8’ leaks reveal groundbreaking new features – November 23, 2016
Evidence suggests Apple is working on the biggest mobile game-changer since the original iPhone – November 8, 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
As I’ve said before, these Energous shares are cheap to buy now – if this rumour is true!
My shares are up about 10% in the past week.
Shut up. There is nothing interesting in the pipeline. Apple is doomed.
If it’s anything like their LiquidMetal “tie-up,” we should see it in an iPhone around 2030.
Could this be the replacement for the AirPort Extreme? Wifi and wireless charging all in one unit with Siri built in… that would be a huge product and lap the field if the receiver chips are in every device and Mac.
Interesting thought, VoR. Mesh networking and wireless power all in one.
I’ve been looking at Energous since these rumors started a couple of months back. While I still have hope, the latest from Energous themselves is that WattUp works, but will not be approved by the FCC because it is not safe for humans. I like to personally think that there is a “so far” added to the end of the statement, and I believe it will get there eventually, but that doesn’t seem to be coming soon. Fingers crossed, still!
Do you have a link directly from Energous stating the FCC has denied? The reason why I’m asking is because the other day I was surfing StockTwits and WATT was trending. The posters/traders were complaining that some notorious short was spreading “false” news about the “not being safe for humans” meme. Btw – I have no position in Energous.