Why is wireless charging considered a selling point?

[daveathall]

In two years time at the conclusion of a WWDC, a hologram of Steve Jobs will materialise and say "And one more thing", holding up the new iPhone he will say 4.9" and wireless charging, at first there is a gasp of undiluted pleasure and excitement from the audience, the room then erupts in spontaneous applause and queues will assemble outside Apple stores in anticipation of the next great game changer, Apple lawyers will prepare their arguments claiming Apple designed it first after all, and no one else should be using it. Exciting times.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

1) I'm not saying the work couldn't be done as best as you can, but having done all 3 of the examples I've listed and being intermediately experienced with each, having a retina display is actually very helpful and handy.

Having worked with graphic design, videography, and CAD programs, as well as programming for a living, I can assure you that a retina display has nothing to do with how well my work turns out.

If you're comparing it to a 600x800 CRT, than duh, but any current 1080 LCD screen is "good enough". Anything more and it's a "nice to have feature", which could be advertised. And Apple does.

Likewise, wireless charging is something that's really nice. No messing with cables, no worrying about breaking a charging port, from a marketing standpoint wireless charging is more "The Future" than a hi-DPI display.

If I'm a marketer, and I find a sweet feature that the #1 selling phone in the US doesn't have, and it screams "WOW FACTOR", why wouldn't I market the **** out of it?

And as someone with a wireless charging cellphone, I have to admit it's a very handy feature. IMO it's better than a hi-DPI screen.

 

[siiip5]

According to who? If you read up on NFC it says that it cant be around any metal for it to work because the signal is not real strong and why you have to be real close if not be touching phones together and the metal will interfere if there is any near by so i doubt the current design will work.

I have NFC and use it daily. FYI, NFC can't have metal or carbon fiber covering the antenna. (I mean, you do realize phones have a bunch of metal in the phone and yet NFC works? Hell, in the S3 and Note2 the NFC assembly is embedded in the battery.)
NFC just needs the receiver to have line of site to the terminal. You can surround that receiver with metal all you want, as long as there is a clear opening for the antenna to transceive. Anyone that has NFC tags and a phone or tablet with NFC can show you this.

And yes, the current design will work. Whether the is room inside the phone for the NFC assembly is another story.

 

[pacalis]

The problem is quite obvious: apple hasn't done it yet.

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Ha good post. Ironic though because the LG Nexus is not a Qi device.

Everything else is though. I bought a couple Qi receivers for our GS3s - they're thin and fit right under the regular cover. There are obvious conveniences.
1. If your answering a lot of calls you don't have to keep replugging
2. Reduces phone port wear
3. Reduces finding that your cat has chewed the dangling cord

But there are others.

Ever put your phone down and not charged it? Well now that problem is solved.

And, come on Apple "design" people, wireless charging is just more elegant.

 

[Vegastouch]

I have NFC and use it daily. FYI, NFC can't have metal or carbon fiber covering the antenna. (I mean, you do realize phones have a bunch of metal in the phone and yet NFC works? Hell, in the S3 and Note2 the NFC assembly is embedded in the battery.)
NFC just needs the receiver to have line of site to the terminal. You can surround that receiver with metal all you want, as long as there is a clear opening for the antenna to transceive. Anyone that has NFC tags and a phone or tablet with NFC can show you this.

And yes, the current design will work. Whether the is room inside the phone for the NFC assembly is another story.

I know how it works, i have a GS3 and use NFC tags. Still, you need a clear path and the bigger the better.

Here is a snipit from a NFC site on how it works:

One final note related to NFC antenna design. We've already stated that the larger the surface area, the better performing your NFC antenna will be. We haven't mentioned anything about volume. Can the NFC antenna be infinitely thin? The answer is yes - if there is no metal or conductive material around the NFC antenna. If you know much about electromagnetics, you will know that a ground plane directly beneath magnetic or electric fields will very much degrade them. Hence, performance degrades for the NFC inductor style antenna when placed near a metallic surface. As a result, for performance the height of the NFC loop will need maximized. If the space is near zero, the performance will suffer.

 

[amoda]

I think we also need to look at the long term plan here.

Yes, the first few generations of wireless syncing may not be all that impressive. Simply taking the cable from the device, into a pad sort of thing (like the powermat) isn't life chattering really.

But, imagine if in 5 years time improvements allow you to plug something into a socket that charge your phone anywhere in the room, without the need for a pad. Or in 10-15 years the first houses with built in "charging coils" that are maybe even strong enough to charge a plethora of other devices, such as a lamp, radio, or even a laptop when idle?

Wireless syncing will evolve, and it'll be better than the PowerMat, and will expand beyond charing phones. Just give it time.

 

[onthecouchagain]

He was comparing Wireless charging to desktop retina displays, not the one on the iPhone.

I'm assuming this is referring to me. I was not comparing the two. Please get it straight. Here's what I wrote again:

You'd be foolish to think Apple wouldn't advertise new features... if they had them. Look at their MacBook Retina campaign -- huge focus on the new retina screens.

You entirely missed the point of my post. The point was that if Apple had new features in the iPhone that made them stood apart from the competition, they would advertise it. Just like they do their retina displays in their MBP Retina campaigns.

The fact that their iPhone campaign shows nothing new compared to the competition says something.

 

[0000757]

I'm assuming this is referring to me. I was not comparing the two. Please get it straight. Here's what I wrote again:

You're using wireless charging and retina displays to compare advertising, are you not?

 

[onthecouchagain]

You're using wireless charging and retina displays to compare advertising, are you not?

No.

Here it is one last time. Good luck:

You entirely missed the point of my post. The point was that if Apple had new features in the iPhone that made them stood apart from the competition, they would advertise it. Just like they do their retina displays in their MBP Retina campaigns.

The fact that their iPhone campaign shows nothing new compared to the competition says something.

 

[siiip5]

I know how it works, i have a GS3 and use NFC tags. Still, you need a clear path and the bigger the better.

Here is a snipit from a NFC site on how it works:

One final note related to NFC antenna design. We've already stated that the larger the surface area, the better performing your NFC antenna will be. We haven't mentioned anything about volume. Can the NFC antenna be infinitely thin? The answer is yes - if there is no metal or conductive material around the NFC antenna. If you know much about electromagnetics, you will know that a ground plane directly beneath magnetic or electric fields will very much degrade them. Hence, performance degrades for the NFC inductor style antenna when placed near a metallic surface. As a result, for performance the height of the NFC loop will need maximized. If the space is near zero, the performance will suffer.

This def looks like it was translated into English, but the meaning of it is still fairly evident. And it says what I have been saying. Metal or carbon fiber between the NFC antenna and terminal is bad. But, you can have metal all around an NFC antenna, as long as there is still an aperture of a transmittable layer between the two. And again, take a look at you S3's battery. The NFC assembly is housed in a Lithium matrix and then the battery is surrounded by a metal frame and components. Think about that. BTW, I have done my own testing with my phone. As long as you have a 1" diameter circle of plastic or glass or leather surrounded by metal, it works just fine. Ironically, the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone is roughly this dimension.

 

[b166er]

I may be missing something and I apologise if I am, and this isn't to start an argument, but how is it easier to use a phone when attached to a cable? Using a mat, one picks up the phone from the mat, answers the call, and then replaces the phone back on the mat to start charging again, (if one wants one can move around the office rather than be tethered to a 3 foot cable) I honestly cant think of anything easier than that.

I hope its not a dumb question but honestly, I can't see the problem.

Well for starters i never said it was a problem. If i have to take a call obviously I'd unplug the phone. If you want to simultaneously charge and use the phone, for things other than phone calls, inductive charging won't work. Like I said it is not at all a selling point for me but since i have the option i do use it. Also helps that the charging mat was free.

 

[Vegastouch]

This def looks like it was translated into English, but the meaning of it is still fairly evident. And it says what I have been saying. Metal or carbon fiber between the NFC antenna and terminal is bad. But, you can have metal all around an NFC antenna, as long as there is still an aperture of a transmittable layer between the two. And again, take a look at you S3's battery. The NFC assembly is housed in a Lithium matrix and then the battery is surrounded by a metal frame and components. Think about that. BTW, I have done my own testing with my phone. As long as you have a 1" diameter circle of plastic or glass or leather surrounded by metal, it works just fine. Ironically, the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone is roughly this dimension.

Well the logo isnt really that big at all but no matter. I have no doubt that Apple will have NFC in their iPhone at some point. All im saying is the design will not be the same as you see today and the rumor of a plastic iPhone coming next to me says that one will have NFC.

As far as i know there are no phones with NFC that have a metal back but Here is a list of current phones with NFC so maybe there is one that has something similar to what the iPhones current back is but im doubting it.

And Here is a list of phones coming with NFC.

Must say there are some interesting phones out and coming that look great.

 

[daveathall]

Well for starters i never said it was a problem. If i have to take a call obviously I'd unplug the phone. If you want to simultaneously charge and use the phone, for things other than phone calls, inductive charging won't work. Like I said it is not at all a selling point for me but since i have the option i do use it. Also helps that the charging mat was free.

Sorry, probably a colloquialism, problem was the wrong word.

Please forgive me, I haven't used a mat so am struggling to see what the things are that wont work with inductive charging. This honestly isn't an attempt to argue, as I said, I have not used a mat whereas you have. I'm just curious I suppose.

 

[NbinHD]

So I go from using a standard USB plug compatible with nearly any device, to a proprietary mat that will only work with my device and no cross-compatibility?

Not to mention you go from having a fully mobile plug to having a mat that stays in on place, and if you wanna switch locations you have to take the mat with you.

Unless the mat is some kind of design to where you can hold the mat and use the phone, you're gonna have to be staring straight down at the mat (or orb or whatever the device uses.

Not only that, it's going to make travel charging a pain, having to carry that charger everywhere

All this for what? Inefficiently charging your phone that looks 1% cooler than just plugging it in? Maybe if there was some kind of cool multimedia mode you get like when you put it in an audio dock that would add some redemption, but still, please tell me why something so stupid is actually used to sell phones?

Convenience!

 

[matttye]

I may be missing something and I apologise if I am, and this isn't to start an argument, but how is it easier to use a phone when attached to a cable? Using a mat, one picks up the phone from the mat, answers the call, and then replaces the phone back on the mat to start charging again, (if one wants one can move around the office rather than be tethered to a 3 foot cable) I honestly cant think of anything easier than that.

I hope its not a dumb question but honestly, I can't see the problem.

I guess the main problem with that scenario is that the device won't be charging while you're on the phone, so if your battery is low enough it could die in the middle of the call, whereas you could leave a cable in while you talk.

 

[daveathall]

I guess the main problem with that scenario is that the device won't be charging while you're on the phone, so if your battery is low enough it could die in the middle of the call, whereas you could leave a cable in while you talk.

I did think of that Matt but thought it would be a pretty crap battery if it needed to be plugged in all the time. There will be occasions though I suppose.

I must admit, I'm not saying that it is a must have feature, or for that matter, worth advertising as a main point. I just think that with two identical phones one with, one without, I can't see any disadvantage of picking the one with the feature. (Besides price, but if it was a standard they would probably be packaged with the phones in future).

 

[matttye]

I did think of that Matt but thought it would be a pretty crap battery if it needed to be plugged in all the time. There will be occasions though I suppose.

I must admit, I'm not saying that it is a must have feature, or for that matter, worth advertising as a main point. I just think that with two identical phones one with, one without, I can't see any disadvantage of picking the one with the feature. (Besides price, but if it was a standard they would probably be packaged with the phones in future).

Agreed, it's not likely to be an issue very often. I just mentioned it as we were discussing any potential downsides.

I think it's a great feature and can't think of any reason why I would rather plug a cable in to be honest!

 

[Irishman]

You mean like the plethora of different converter cables that Apple offers for connectivity and even for charging? You mean like the SuperDrive that Apple offers?

So introducing Thunderbolt connectivity, exorcising the optical drive and ethernet port for thinness/lightness, introducing MagSafe 2, etc. -- all these were mistakes that aren't ready to be replaced?

Fascinating! Yet, I don't see you complaining about Apple doing all that...

And this isn't about "Apple".



Here. I'll even help illustrate my point:

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No, I don't mean like that. Your attempted deflection into Apple again is noted, however.

 

[onthecouchagain]

No, I don't mean like that. Your attempted deflection into Apple again is noted, however.

Please clarify. I'm happy to admit I'm wrong, but you'll have to help me understand.

What I read was, if wireless charging sometimes requires using a chord to charge, then it's not ready for use nor adoption.

Here is your quote:

Which means that if we still have to point back to the "old technology" to perform normally expected tasks that people do every day, the new technology isn't ready to replace it.

Help me understand how that's different from, for example, MagSafe 2, which if one wanted to connect to the current Thunderbolt Display, would require the MagSafe 2 adapter, in effect, employing "old technology." This is only one example of many converters Apple sells in case people need to use "old technology" to accomplish something that the new port is replacing.

I don't see you speaking so vehemently about Apple pushing new technologies that may or may not be ready for full-time adoption. In fact, many (likely you, too) see it as Apple advancing technology. I would agree with this. I personally love Apple's Macs and own two different kinds.

Why is this same merit not applied to the competition when they do the same thing?

 

[b166er]

Sorry, probably a colloquialism, problem was the wrong word.

Please forgive me, I haven't used a mat so am struggling to see what the things are that wont work with inductive charging. This honestly isn't an attempt to argue, as I said, I have not used a mat whereas you have. I'm just curious I suppose.

Let's say the phone is virtually dead but you need to send out an email or a text real quick. You can't really charge and use the phone at the same time with a mat, but a traditional cable gives you that option. I suppose if you want to type on the phone while it lays flat you could do that with the mat, but when it comes to phones I am kind of a thumb typer.

It's not really a big thing, I'm sure for the foreseeable future any phone that has inductive charging built in to it (like the 920) will also come with a USB cable for charging so you have the option to do either. Obviously a lot of people charge in their cars and inductive charging doesn't really work there either right now.

Again, not a selling point for me personally, but since it was included I do use it.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Let's say the phone is virtually dead but you need to send out an email or a text real quick. You can't really charge and use the phone at the same time with a mat, but a traditional cable gives you that option. I suppose if you want to type on the phone while it lays flat you could do that with the mat, but when it comes to phones I am kind of a thumb typer.

The difference is that because charging your phone becomes so simple, it's almost always charged. I get home, I take my phone out of the pocket, boom it's charging. I get to work and put my phone down, it charges...

 

[Vegastouch]

I guess the main problem with that scenario is that the device won't be charging while you're on the phone, so if your battery is low enough it could die in the middle of the call, whereas you could leave a cable in while you talk.

Agree here. There have been times when my phone was very low but wanted to look up something when it was plugged and at times just wanted it charging while i was using it. Its not something that i do often but ive still done it. No matter, i have a charger plug and can still do it even if i had a wireless base.

In anycase, i think Nokia did it right by including the wireless charger but i also realize they are trying to get back in the game as well. Cool option, just isnt worth $59 imo.

 

[matttye]

Agree here. There have been times when my phone was very low but wanted to look up something when it was plugged and at times just wanted it charging while i was using it. Its not something that i do often but ive still done it. No matter, i have a charger plug and can still do it even if i had a wireless base.

In anycase, i think Nokia did it right by including the wireless charger but i also realize they are trying to get back in the game as well. Cool option, just isnt worth $59 imo.

Hell no, there's no way I'd pay anywhere near that for it!

 

[calb]

He was comparing Wireless charging to desktop retina displays, not the one on the iPhone.

It's not a hassle at all, what are you talking about? The amount of time it takes for me to plug my iPhone in, my laptop in, whatever it is, takes the same amount of time as setting it down and picking it back up, or drop my phone into a dock and taking it out. A dock would provide multimedia features that any wireless charging mat has yet to do, while a cord is better for data transfer if I needed to do that.

You mean like this?
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/47344/nokia-lumia-920-nfc-jbl-speakers-headphones

Damn right wireless charging is a selling point. The potential is great - think coffee tables or desks with pads built in, or even car dashboards; your phone charging without you consciously hunting for a cable. If you don't want to embrace wireless charging until Apple tells you to, that's fine. But don't knock other manufacturers for embracing the possibilities that Qi ubiquity could bring.

Wireless charging is something that will benefit people every day, especially with widespread adoption from travel companies, car manufacturers, coffee chains. It is interesting when you refer to it being a gimmick, when to most people in the street that's simply what Siri is... and Apple went to town with it.

 

[Vegastouch]

You mean like this?
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/47344/nokia-lumia-920-nfc-jbl-speakers-headphones

Damn right wireless charging is a selling point. The potential is great - think coffee tables or desks with pads built in, or even car dashboards; your phone charging without you consciously hunting for a cable. If you don't want to embrace wireless charging until Apple tells you to, that's fine. But don't knock other manufacturers for embracing the possibilities that Qi ubiquity could bring.

Wireless charging is something that will benefit people every day, especially with widespread adoption from travel companies, car manufacturers, coffee chains. It is interesting when you refer to it being a gimmick, when to most people in the street that's simply what Siri is... and Apple went to town with it.

These things are different than just a charging pad that costs $59 when my cable is free and would be in the same place everyday as the pad.