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CES 2014: WiTricity Announces New Wireless Charging System Design for iPhone 5/5s

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Wireless power firm WiTricity today announced the release of a reference design for its new wireless charging system aimed at the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. Moving beyond existing induction power transfer technologies such as Powermat that require direct contact with a charging pad, WiTricity's system supports power transfer over short distances using magnetic resonance, allowing charging pads to be kept out of sight such as mounted on the bottom surface of a desk.

witricity_iphone.jpg
The WiTricity charging system for the iPhone 5/5s includes a wireless charging hub and a charging sleeve that fits an iPhone 5 or 5s. Similar to other protective covers, the WiTricity sleeve quickly slides onto an iPhone 5/5s and is powered when in proximity to the WiTricity charging hub. Capable of charging two phones concurrently, the charging hub can be placed on top of a table as an upright or flat charging pad, or mounted underneath a table or desk for charging through the surface. By mounting the charging pad under a surface, smartphone users are freed from the tangle of charging cords and cluttered desktops.
Click to expand...
​
We first explored Apple's connection to WiTricity in July 2011 after it was reported that Apple was working on a "new way of charging" the iPhone, and while that way turned out to simply be the Lightning connector introduced in the iPhone 5, Apple does clearly have an interest in wireless charging and WiTricity's technology in particular.

Patent applications from Apple have outlined how the company could use something in line with WiTricity's technology to allow a computer such as an iMac to serve as a wireless charging hub, with accessories and other devices such as keyboard, mice, and iOS devices able to be charged simply by being in close proximity to the iMac. Shortly after the publication of a key Apple patent application on the concept, WiTricity even demoed how such a system would work.

WiTricity's system announced today is a reference design not meant for direct sale to consumers, but it will allow the company to partner with a variety of other firms such as device manufacturers, accessory companies, and furniture makers to explore implementation of the technology.

Article Link: CES 2014: WiTricity Announces New Wireless Charging System Design for iPhone 5/5s
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/01/07/witricity-announces-new-wireless-charging-system-design-for-iphone-55s/
andrewpturko

andrewpturko

macrumors regular
Apr 23, 2012
211
50
This is awesome, now just time for apple to integrate it as an official feature and fix that ugly design.
 
Lapidus

Lapidus

macrumors regular
May 14, 2012
202
174
Let's just wait for Apple to implement this so people without the ugly case can also use it :)
 
roland.g

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
7,414
3,152
If it doesn't need a case, that's great. But honestly, what is so hard about plugging in your phone. If it has to be within a certain proximity to the base, you might as well plug it in. I can't imagine this charges faster and would probably charge slower than a typical wired connection.

For something like an iWatch it makes sense, but for a phone not as much.

In 3 years if I can have an Apple designed charging station/caddy for my kitchen that charges phones, iPads, iPods, and they all just have to sit on the counter within 5 feet, that would be welcome. But this stuff is just baby steps novelty.
 
jsalda

jsalda

macrumors 6502
Jun 6, 2008
368
584
Nikola Tesla would be proud that his technology is finally becoming mainstream; 100 years later.
 
J

Jsameds

Suspended
Apr 22, 2008
3,525
7,987
I don't really see the point of these, they're slower, less efficient and you can't hold the phone when it's charging - you may as well just plug it in.
 
D

Deedlez

macrumors regular
Nov 1, 2011
128
44
UK
Nice idea, but boy is that stand ugly. :eek:

Wireless charging will be the big selling point of the iPhone 7 in 2016. And the stand/rest pad thing will be simple and unobtrusive, the exact opposite of this monstrosity!
 
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
oh...my nexus 4 did that without a case :p

seriously...no one wants to put a case on their phone to achieve wireless charging.
 
W

willcapellaro

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2011
345
6
Pogo pins would have been fine

I want the combo of this powerful threesome: original Nexus 7, Apple's magsafe and the iPhone dock. It need only have the slightest magnetic or spring-loaded contact to make the circuit.
 
Ashin

Ashin

macrumors 6502a
Jun 19, 2010
959
201
Doesn't it defeat the convenience of wireless charging if you first have to plug it into a special case... AND THEN put it onto the charging pad...

Utterly stupid - and no, don't say "you can just leave the case on" - it looks ugly as sin and adds bulk
 
O

osx11

macrumors 6502a
Jan 16, 2011
825
0
roland.g said:
If it doesn't need a case, that's great. But honestly, what is so hard about plugging in your phone. If it has to be within a certain proximity to the base, you might as well plug it in. I can't imagine this charges faster and would probably charge slower than a typical wired connection.

For something like an iWatch it makes sense, but for a phone not as much.

In 3 years if I can have an Apple designed charging station/caddy for my kitchen that charges phones, iPads, iPods, and they all just have to sit on the counter within 5 feet, that would be welcome. But this stuff is just baby steps novelty.
Click to expand...

What was so hard about plugging in a LAN cable into your laptop at home?

/S
 
S

sonofmof

macrumors member
Sep 26, 2005
93
1
UK
i'm not so interested in charging my phone, but my keyboard, mouse and trackpad and a headset, makes this very interesting....
 
Tankmaze

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
But that hub will always need to plugin constantly. It wont be as simple as plug in the cord to the wall when I NEED to charge the phone.
This technology is still a novelty imo.
 
M

Millah

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2008
866
515
stockscalper said:
Just another Android ripoff. At least the Android wireless chargers don't look lame like this one.
Click to expand...

Guess what, Electric toothbrushes have been using inductive charging for YEARS. Can't exactly let a battery inside a toothbrush get wet, so it makes sense for them. Inductive charging was not an Android invention. Jesus, even the Palm Pre had it before Android was even a blip on the radar.
 
T

tuxon86

macrumors 65816
May 22, 2012
1,321
477
Totally worthless...

A standard dock/cable will charge your device faster. Another gimmick to milk the "it's new so it must be better" market.
 
M

Millah

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2008
866
515
osx11 said:
What was so hard about plugging in a LAN cable into your laptop at home?

/S
Click to expand...

No, completely different. Wifi allowed you to be free from the cable. Meaning you could roam and walk around your house while having a connection.

This still needs to be on a charging pad. You're not exactly free from the chord, the chord just isn't attached directly to the phone and is instead attached 5 inches away from it.
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
Not Qi compatible? And not really offering protection? No go.

Apple seriously should consider adding Qi support. It's so convenient. I love it on my non-iOS devices (e.g., the Nexus 7.2013). A durable Otterbox case, with Qi support for the 5 / 5s would, on the other hand, be GREAT and I definitely would purchase it.
 
C

curmudgeon32

macrumors regular
Aug 28, 2012
240
1
Oh cool, can't wait to use this easel and gigantic case combo because it's so much more convenient than plugging in a cable.
 
R

RobQuads

macrumors regular
Jul 11, 2010
234
48
Ignore the case - its there to demo the concept using existing devices. This is not a product being sold to manufactures its a demo of how it works.

This is the sort of wireless that people want IMO i.e. invisible. Charger station built into screen and then all the devices on the table just naturally charge.
 
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