Apple Exploring Wireless Charging for iPhone as Early as 2013?

[donnaw]

I have a Nokia 920 and the charging stand. I absolutely love it. I now never have to move furniture to find the d@&m cord because it fell off the table. I simply plop my phone on the stand. It charges from about 20% to 100% in 3-4 hours (only slightly longer than the cord). It sits on my nightstand and displays a clock. The wireless charging was one of the things that convinced me to get the 920.

ATT gave out the charging pads with the phones. I gave my free pad to my son so he has one at home and one at his office. Very easy to top off during a day of heavy usage. I prefer the stand.

One other very nice point - I put a port plug in. I seem to have issues with lint and dirt getting into the plug port. Now my phone is closed off. And of course you also has the aspect that you never have to worry about breaking off one of those very little, very thin, very important pins. You know, those pins that when snapped off or bent pretty much makes your very expensive phone a paper weight. (Been there before)

A lot of folks here say they don't see the need. Well, to each his own. But I have found it very easy, convenient and frankly prefer it to putting in the wire charger. When (not if) Apple implements wireless charging it will be amusing to return to this thread and see who was blasting it as bad and how their tone changes once they begin to use it.

 

[yusukeaoki]

We should have a wireless charger for the wireless charger of wireless charger for iPhone.

 

[coolbreeze]

I'm happy to see the recent posts praising wireless charging. I tried to praise it earlier and got blasted by some who think it's an absolute failure and gimmick, which I find amusing to say the least.

Open your eyes Apple zombies. You will go nuts with excitement if/when Apple decides to invent wireless charging and it will be praised as the best thing ever!1!

Until then, carry on with the nonsense. It's entertaining to see what sitting on the sidelines with a closed mind looks and sounds like.

 

[iSayuSay]

Again, having a feature on iPhone does not mean it's a sudden success.

Like I said, AppStore and iOS smoothness are something to envy about. But many things of an iPhone is not necessarily a success warrant.

iTunes syncing .. Why Apple makes it hard to copy a music onto the freaking phone. What about drag and drop into [Music] folder?

Siri .. It's still less useful, clunkier, slower than Google Now. Funny it's faster to actually call someone than get Siri does it. Hardly a pinnacle nowadays. I even forget it's there.

Apple Maps .. Maybe not that cr4p, but still less succesful than Google Maps.

iMessage .. I hardly use it since less than half my contacts have an iPhone. Even BBM still more ubuquitous outside the U S of A

Now wireless charging, on an iPhone? Maybe only if it charges while I'm holding it off while taking a dump. Maybe.

 

[coolbreeze]

Again, having a feature on iPhone does not mean it's a sudden success.

Like I said, AppStore and iOS smoothness are something to envy about. But many things of an iPhone is not necessarily a success warrant.

iTunes syncing .. Why Apple makes it hard to copy a music onto the freaking phone. What about drag and drop into [Music] folder?

Siri .. It's still less useful, clunkier, slower than Google Now. Funny it's faster to actually call someone than get Siri does it. Hardly a pinnacle nowadays. I even forget it's there.

Apple Maps .. Maybe not that cr4p, but still less succesful than Google Maps.

iMessage .. I hardly use it since less than half my contacts have an iPhone. Even BBM still more ubuquitous outside the U S of A

Now wireless charging, on an iPhone? Maybe only if it charges while I'm holding it off while taking a dump. Maybe.

I was tracking until the last sentence. That statement jumped the shark, if I may.

In my coldest Shark Tank comment as Kevin O'Leary I'm ouut[of this ridiculous conversation]

So close, but no.

Wireless charging is the biggest waste known to mankind, relegated to benefiting users only while they are on the can. We get it. Until, well, you know !!!!!! appears.

Just the facts as readers silently agree. ? Too late. Maybe one day. Will F5* in a year or so and see the glorious headline on MR about the invention.

*F5 = browser reload or Command+R for Mac users

 

[erzhik]

Why on earth does anyone care about wireless charging?

Ask any person whose phone supports wireless charging and every single one will tell you why they care about wireless charging. I'm using Lumia 920 and after using wireless charger for several months, there is no way in hell I am buying another phone without it. While wireless charging is not necessary, it is an incredible convenience. It's one of those features that after using for a while, you can't live without. There is absolutely nothing wrong with evolution of tech. Starbucks support wireless charging now, in a couple of years, you will see wireless charging stations in airports and other coffee shops.

There is no way I'm going back to sticking cable into the phone whenever I want to charge it. If you want to understand how good wireless charging is, just use a phone that supports it for a few months..

 

[notabadname]

Ok. By all means, keep your head in the sand. I'll continue to enjoy my Nexus 4. It's by far my go-to over my iPhone 5, but hey, that's me.

Edit: when I charge my phone at night, I care not about the mAh's flowing through the charger. When I wake up, it's fully charged. So the minimal (?) loss of inductive charging is a seriously irrelevant spec-war for me. It's not like you are prohibited from ever using an actual charger/cable if your phone is inductive charging compatible. Inductive charging way too slow for your tastes? Cool, just use your normal charger! Sensitive bunch around here!

You sound like the sensitive one. When I plug my phone in for a quick top-off, I DO care about the significant amps flowing through the charger. For many of us, plugging the USB lighting plug into our phone when we go to bed is just not as difficult as it appears to be for you. And if, as you say, you can still carry a an "actual charger", that would be my point. Why carry or own two charging systems? The inductive does not work for the situations I described (such as making a phone call, or using your device while actually charging - hard to do if it must stay on the charge mat ), where the USB plug works everywhere, bedside, airplane, calling while plugged into an available outlet while getting that last charge before boarding a plane. How about charging in your car while using the GPS or using to run your car audio - are you going to put a charge mat in your console or on your dash? And it isn't too hard to put an iPhone on a compatible clock radio to charge beside your bed either, instead of a mat. So yes, I think it is a wasted technology for the sake of being able to lay my phone on a mat, while sleeping. I don't need the extra weight or thickness.

 

[rcodddow]

It seems obvious that magnetic resonance charging (3-5m or 5-10m)would go well in the iwatch, it would mean the watch would charge on your wrist while you slept. This would allow apple to put a good size touch display while dealing with its need for power

 

[Dr McKay]

What is that and where can I get it?

It's the Wireless Charging Orb for the Nexus 4, it uses the standard Wireless charging protocols so things like the Nokia Lumia can charge from it too.

Go on the Play section of Google, Devices, Click on the Nexus 4, scroll down and click on Accessories.

 

[SirLance99]

To quote the all mighty Apple lover MG SIEGLER

"And I ********** love the wireless charging orb that Google just released. Pardon my French. Actually, don’t. I ********** love that thing. Apple needs to copy that pronto. It’s by far the best smartphone “dock” I’ve ever used. And it’s a billion times better than Apple’s current iPhone 5 dock — because no such dock exists. I know it’s a little thing, but coming home and just slapping the Nexus 4 down on a magnetic charger is such a nice touch. And yes, I know there was a similar dock for the Palm Pre, I had one — sadly, it seems the 20 other people who bought one weren’t enough to keep that company afloat."

http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/08/nexus-4-review-finally/

This is what all phones will be doing.

 

[pacalis]

you don't seem to get it. wireless internet is true "wireless". I don't have to sit 3 feet from an outlet on a special connection pad to be able to access the internet on my device. I walk all over the house etc.?

What you don't get is that I don't want to be blasted with EM radition all day. Now, when I sleep, I just put the phone on the pad at night, it makes a beep, goes into airplane mode (or whatever I want to set it too).

It has to do with how much you can stuff in your phone. If you make it bigger for induction coils, you could have just put in more battery.

Not really. Induction coils are really thin. To upgrade a GS3 to wireless you just instert a sticker - it fits under the existing cover, on top of the battery.

A charging system that is bigger than the mini-block and USB cable, charges at a slower rate, adds components to the phone that increase weight and size, and prevents (practical) use of the device while it is charging (unless you want to hold your charging mat as well while charging your phone at the airport - really convenient while making a phone call). Sounds like a great idea

At times higher-tech is not an improvement.

Adds weight and size? Like a gram or two? How puny are you human?

But I like how you walk about your house - obviously this is with your super convenient 30 ft lightening connector.

Qi standard? Talk about sheep.

Qi is already in many airport lounges, coffee shops. And there will only be more.

Not to mention that Apple also uses standards. For example, they already use the USB standard - they just muck up the other end of the cord so that you pay more money.

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Ask any person whose phone supports wireless charging and every single one will tell you why they care about wireless charging. I'm using Lumia 920 and after using wireless charger for several months, there is no way in hell I am buying another phone without it. While wireless charging is not necessary, it is an incredible convenience. It's one of those features that after using for a while, you can't live without. There is absolutely nothing wrong with evolution of tech. Starbucks support wireless charging now, in a couple of years, you will see wireless charging stations in airports and other coffee shops.

There is no way I'm going back to sticking cable into the phone whenever I want to charge it. If you want to understand how good wireless charging is, just use a phone that supports it for a few months..

Bravo!

 

[roederer]

Missing the point of wireless

I think everyone is missing the point of wireless charging. It's not primarily convenience. It's about the battery - in fact about making the battery smaller.

Most of the volume and weight of the iPhone and iPad are the battery. Consider what we could have if the battery were one quarter the size and weight: Now that would be a thin device!

One could make up for the lack of battery life with a clamp-on battery pack. For the same form factor as you have right now, you have a device with the same battery life. The difference is that you now have a removable battery and can clamp on a newly charged one. Or, you have different sized batteries. Or for those of us who don't use up more than 25 to 30% of their battery life in a day, you can have an ultrathin, ultralight device without an external battery. And you could carry spares (or big ones) for camping or long trips...

Or, if you use an iPhone case (on your belt, for example), it could be the charging device. You would have an ultrathin phone, that would not have any less battery life and perhaps much more so, than the current one.

The point is, wireless charging enables a variety of options in terms of battery size and life and weight, giving the user the choice of making the balance between weight and battery life. That's what I would really like! (And it would stop all the complaining about not having a removable battery).

I could envision having a pad charger at work where I can just lay my phone down if I need to. I've owned iPhone since the beginning, and I have never taken a call with it plugged in -- my preference would be to have been charging in a way that does not impede me from taking a call.

 

[abercrombie]

Wireless charging something you don't think you need, until you actually have it.

I have it on my HP Touchpad with wireless charger and it never touches a USB cable. it's just so easy to place it on the wireless charging cradle.

People do break their USB phone input and 32-pin Apple port trying to stick it in the wrong way. There have been reports of broken off lightning sticks stuck in their iPhone/iPad connector.

 

[GoldenJoe]

Eh. Wireless charging is neat, but I am skeptical as to how much value it would add for users. Certainly, it will be useless for developers, whom Apple always (wisely) takes into consideration when developing new features.

 

[TyPod]

I could definitely see this happening. I would definitely use this feature to its fullest!

 

[Eso]

How could you not see the potential in wireless charging technology?

One day wireless charging will be built into coffee tables, counter-tops, nightstands, etc. Anywhere you typically set your device down will keep your device charged. You set your laptop down at your desk and it automatically powers it. You'll never have to think about charging your devices.

 

[mrsir2009]

If it's an accessory, expect to pay $249ish for it.

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How could you not see the potential in wireless charging technology?

One day wireless charging will be built into coffee tables, counter-tops, nightstands, etc. Anywhere you typically set your device down will keep your device charged. You set your laptop down at your desk and it automatically powers it. You'll never have to think about charging your devices.

If Apple adds wireless charging to the iPhone, there are all sorts of possibilites for 3rd party products... What about a device that you attach to the underside of your coffee table, so it charges the iPhone through the wood when you set it down. Now, that would be cool. It's feasible too

 

[jagolden]

To quote the all mighty Apple lover MG SIEGLER

"And I ********** love the wireless charging orb that Google just released. Pardon my French. Actually, don’t. I ********** love that thing. Apple needs to copy that pronto. It’s by far the best smartphone “dock” I’ve ever used. And it’s a billion times better than Apple’s current iPhone 5 dock — because no such dock exists. I know it’s a little thing, but coming home and just slapping the Nexus 4 down on a magnetic charger is such a nice touch. And yes, I know there was a similar dock for the Palm Pre, I had one — sadly, it seems the 20 other people who bought one weren’t enough to keep that company afloat."
Image
http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/08/nexus-4-review-finally/

This is what all phones will be doing.

Yeah, I'd much raher have to use a big honking dock with a cable attached to a charging block instaed of a small cable atached to a small charger. Geesh.

 

[jagolden]

When (not if) Apple implements wireless charging it will be amusing to return to this thread and see who was blasting it as bad and how their tone changes once they begin to use it.

it's not that it's bad, it just han't been done ight and the current solutions are not "wireless". What will be interesting is to return to this thread and see the posts praising Apple for doing it right and truly wireless.

Being physicaly tied to any kind of dock is not "wireless". Anyone saying it's too much touble to plug in a conector is jusT lazy.

Those that complain about broken connectors are simply abusing their phones or lazy in their handling. I'm still using a 3GS, gets charged at least daily, is plugged and unplugged from iTunes a couple of times a day, has had the older style 30-pin plug yanked out without pressing in the release buttons and have never had any problems.

When truly wireless charging (meaning not chained to any dock) comes along, then I'll care.

 

[twoodcc]

for some devices wireless charging seems nice. but with the lightning connector, i really wouldn't pay more for it

 

[daveathall]

Eh. Wireless charging is neat, but I am skeptical as to how much value it would add for users. Certainly, it will be useless for developers, whom Apple always (wisely) takes into consideration when developing new features.

Genuine question. Why would developers have to be taken into consideration for this?

 

[Guacamole]

+1

Honestly don't bother. They should focus on longer battery life.

exactly

 

[alexandr]

Disadvantages of wireless charging

• Can't use (hold) the phone when charging

says who?!

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i think this would be ideal, if there would be pad involved. no stylis - no pad, apple. please...

just a little smthnsmthn that plugs into the wall, or you computer and charges your phone wirelessly from a small distance.

 

[Jsameds]

says who?!

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i think this would be ideal, if there would be pad involved. no stylis - no pad, apple. please...

just a little smthnsmthn that plugs into the wall, or you computer and charges your phone wirelessly from a small distance.

Unless a miracle occurs where upon wireless charging range is extended to a few feet, then you are limited to resting it on a surface or a block, which (if you look at the picture above) wouldn't be very practical and would be near impossible to hold and use the phone (and the block, which dont forget also has a wire running from it) with any sort of ease.

Kind of like trying to hold and eat and sort of massive burger without its contents falling out everywhere whilst trying to maintain your dignity.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Eh. Wireless charging is neat, but I am skeptical as to how much value it would add for users. Certainly, it will be useless for developers, whom Apple always (wisely) takes into consideration when developing new features.

Huh? Can you explain that last bit again? I develop for WP8 with a phone that has a wireless charger (820) and I freakin love it.