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69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
England
It's about time we had an Apple case with built in wireless charging. Everyone else is already doing this.
 

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macrumors 6502
Oct 6, 2013
452
48
I love how, before Apple adopts it, it's not mainstream. And as soon as Apple starts using it, it's "mainstream".

I've had wireless charging in my cellphone for over 2 years, and console's have been doing it for even longer. It's already mainstream, and most non-Apple high-end cellphones already have it as an option.

I think Apple just has better marketing for features that have already been in competing products, like NFC.
 

advancewarsbest

macrumors regular
Mar 28, 2013
120
77
Sweet, what their doing is what Tesla did 100+ years ago, well at least its hopefully coming.

For those who made comments, yes it is less efficient than a cable and the farther away you are the less it charges.

I can not however give you an exact range that depends on a multitude of things. But its theoretically possible to power the whole earth (no more need for batteries or charging).

It is actually safe :)

If you have not already learn more about the pioneer of this tech!
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla
 

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,184
3,345
Pennsylvania
So you saw no mention of technology that charges devices from up to 15 feet away in the article? Is that something common in other phones?

That's an advancement to an existing technology. It's like if, when Apple announced the retina MacBooks, they did so by saying they were going to make LCD's mainstream. No, they existed for years and were in mainstream use. All they did was upgrade them. Same thing in this instance. The technology is quite impressive, but it's hardly "looking to go" mainstream. The technology is already mainstream.
 

lowercaseperson

macrumors 6502
Oct 5, 2006
294
87
I don't think wireless charging is going to be big until it can be done at a distance, say two meters...

Sadly, 15 feet is all they can do for now ;)

...also debuted a similar "WattUp" technology that uses radio frequencies to charge devices, replacing a charging pad with a transmitter that can provide power up to 15 feet away.
 

fogelbaby

macrumors newbie
Jan 24, 2007
16
29
Safe?

As a physician, I don't feel entirely certain that this is safe, and would not trust a tech company to really look into it as far as they should. We are full of protons, all of which react to a magnetic field. There are plenty of people who are concerned about proximity to high power electric lines which produce a similar oscillating field. Paranoids or legitimate concern? Its not clear. i don't think I would have this in my house.
 

Erasmus

macrumors 68030
Jun 22, 2006
2,756
298
Australia
What bothers me with things like this is what happens if you have a large piece of metal sheet, e.g. a MBA/MBP, anywhere near such a device. I suspect that you would end up with a very hot MacBook, and a large power bill.

I think people mistake this as being new technology, when really it is very old technology, it's just that only now that electronic devices are efficient enough to run on the pitifully small amount of energy that these provide at range, and that sensor technology is good enough now to know when the device needs to be active, and where the energy needs to be projected. So you don't end up with an empty phone battery and hot metal stationery.

The magnetic inductance and radio wave technology that is the underlying principle, and makes it do what it does, is positively ancient. It's everything else that makes it not do what it shouldn't (but physics says that it would) that is new.
 

KylePowers

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2011
1,688
197
Actually, I did. And wireless charging from 1cm away, vs 1m away, is still wireless charging. And it's been an option on tons of phones, game console controllers, heck, that electric toothbrush on my bathroom counter uses wireless charging.

If a $20 toothbrush from WalMart doesn't scream "mainstream", I'm really not sure what should.
What game consoles have wireless charging for their controllers, natively?

Also, I do not know of any phones that can be charged from greater than 1cm away. Wireless charging has been at its infancy for decades. The new generation of wireless electricity (or what we all hope to see, at least) is all about breaking that barrier, safely and cost effectively.

Charging my phone from across the room while using it would be awesome. Same for my gaming controller.
 

mr.steevo

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2004
1,411
940
When I saw this (on the internet) in 2009 I immediately thought that Apple would turn all it's desktop computers into WiTricity appliances that would power the keyboard, mouse, my phone in my pocket, and so on and so on...

Now that this technology is "more better" I could see a WiTricity "thingy" in each room that powers everything. Plus, you'd have one in your driveway for your hover-car.

Oh, future. Where for art thou?
 

Erasmus

macrumors 68030
Jun 22, 2006
2,756
298
Australia
As a physician, I don't feel entirely certain that this is safe, and would not trust a tech company to really look into it as far as they should. We are full of protons, all of which react to a magnetic field. There are plenty of people who are concerned about proximity to high power electric lines which produce a similar oscillating field. Paranoids or legitimate concern? Its not clear. i don't think I would have this in my house.

If an MRI is safe, then this is safe. This uses magnetic fields that are tiny in comparison.

An MRI actually does affect the protons that we are full of. Luckily, this has exactly zero effect on the workings of the human body, because protons in atoms are completely isolated by the electron shell.

Which means an MRI is safe.

If an inductance hotplate is safe, then this is safe.

If being near an electrical transformer is safe, then this is safe.
 

dav1dd

macrumors regular
Oct 25, 2013
200
171
Oz
If an MRI is safe, then this is safe. This uses magnetic fields that are tiny in comparison.

An MRI actually does affect the protons that we are full of. Luckily, this has exactly zero effect on the workings of the human body, because protons in atoms are completely isolated by the electron shell.

Which means an MRI is safe.

If an inductance hotplate is safe, then this is safe.

If being near an electrical transformer is safe, then this is safe.

All famous last words! :D
 

Erasmus

macrumors 68030
Jun 22, 2006
2,756
298
Australia
All famous last words! :D

It may seem that way, but when you have fundamental physics (changing spin orientation of an atomic nucleus via magnetic fields does not affect its electron shell), applied physics (magnetic fields do not affect the organic molecules in the human body) and statistics (which clearly show there is no correlation between magnetic fields and illness) all on your side, I think I'm pretty safe.
 

CthrewU

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2010
96
25
There are studies and medical journals that are just now shedding light on the long term effects associated with the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Most have to do with damage to the body's CNS and psychological effects. You cannot turn all of the bodies hydrogen molecules 90deg off axis repeatedly for 20-40 minutes at a time with a magnetic field 4X as powerful as the Earths and not have some effect. MRI technology is still relatively new compared to other medical imaging modalities. It is not totally safe though, safer than a CT or X-Ray sure.

You should also check out the studies done concerning this new tech. They want to use an unregulated band so they can exceed the maximum SAR limit that is currently in place.

http://www.rezence.com/sites/defaul...tory Slide Presentation (FINAL 16May2013).pdf


If an MRI is safe, then this is safe. This uses magnetic fields that are tiny in comparison.

An MRI actually does affect the protons that we are full of. Luckily, this has exactly zero effect on the workings of the human body, because protons in atoms are completely isolated by the electron shell.

Which means an MRI is safe.

If an inductance hotplate is safe, then this is safe.

If being near an electrical transformer is safe, then this is safe.
 

entropys

macrumors 65816
Jan 5, 2007
1,234
2,382
Brisbane, Australia
Actually, I did. And wireless charging from 1cm away, vs 1m away, is still wireless charging. And it's been an option on tons of phones, game console controllers, heck, that electric toothbrush on my bathroom counter uses wireless charging.

If a $20 toothbrush from WalMart doesn't scream "mainstream", I'm really not sure what should.

I would consider 1 cm as 'not a useful or meaningful gain over a dock" while 1m plus as a more useful implementation. Best would be "located in the same room".
 

Erasmus

macrumors 68030
Jun 22, 2006
2,756
298
Australia
There are studies and medical journals that are just now shedding light on the long term effects associated with the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Most have to do with damage to the body's CNS and psychological effects. You cannot turn all of the bodies hydrogen molecules 90deg off axis repeatedly for 20-40 minutes at a time with a magnetic field 4X as powerful as the Earths and not have some effect. MRI technology is still relatively new compared to other medical imaging modalities. It is not totally safe though, safer than a CT or X-Ray sure.

If an MRI has any effects at all (which I'm sure they do, but I wouldn't classify them as dangerous) it has nothing to do with the rotation of atomic nuclei, and everything to do with varying magnetic fields generating electric fields.

It also has a lot to do with the psychological effects of fear, uncertainty and doubt campaigns turning harmless physiological effects into damaging psychological effects through unnecessary stress. Exactly like "Wind Turbine Syndrome".

But all of this is still irrelevant, because we are not talking about magnetic fields anywhere near that of an MRI. What we are talking about is a seriously gimped induction hotplate. Or a transformer with a gap between the coils.
 

Lepton

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2002
855
299
Cold Spring Harbor, NY
The Apple Watch does use wireless charging. But instead of putting it on a pad, they use a magnet to put the charger super close to the back of the watch. There are no wired contacts.
 

CthrewU

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2010
96
25
If an MRI has any effects at all (which I'm sure they do, but I wouldn't classify them as dangerous) it has nothing to do with the rotation of atomic nuclei, and everything to do with varying magnetic fields generating electric fields.

It also has a lot to do with the psychological effects of fear, uncertainty and doubt campaigns turning harmless physiological effects into damaging psychological effects through unnecessary stress. Exactly like "Wind Turbine Syndrome".

But all of this is still irrelevant, because we are not talking about magnetic fields anywhere near that of an MRI. What we are talking about is a seriously gimped induction hotplate. Or a transformer with a gap between the coils.


I would consider "Dementia" and "Psycosis" to be "dangerous" conditions. Also you are talking about being around this wirless charging resonance field for up to 24 hours a day. Yes an MRI is much stronger but you are only subjected to the energy for 20-30 minutes. The average person is only going to have between 1-3 studies done in their lifetime.

This wirless electricity tech would exspose the average person to a lower strength field for the majority of a day. Multiply that over a lifetime and you would have exceeded the total amount of energy given off by a 4Tesla MRI for a 20-30 minute study.

My point is that the tech is not without somatic penalties, there own research article even shows that. That's part of the reason they want to use an unregulated band so they can exceed the currently established SAR limits.
 

elmaco

macrumors 6502
Jun 5, 2012
488
433
Nice, I wish there were witricity hubs in every home, office and department store, and that there were portable ones as well, that are charged automatically when you enter a building with witricity support.

Then we can have light weight wearables that uses wifi and witricty, and a portable hub that provides uplink and power outside.

Automatic laces and self drying jackets are not so far fetched after all.
 
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Erasmus

macrumors 68030
Jun 22, 2006
2,756
298
Australia
I would consider "Dementia" and "Psycosis" to be "dangerous" conditions. Also you are talking about being around this wirless charging resonance field for up to 24 hours a day. Yes an MRI is much stronger but you are only subjected to the energy for 20-30 minutes. The average person is only going to have between 1-3 studies done in their lifetime.

This wirless electricity tech would exspose the average person to a lower strength field for the majority of a day. Multiply that over a lifetime and you would have exceeded the total amount of energy given off by a 4Tesla MRI for a 20-30 minute study.

My point is that the tech is not without somatic penalties, there own research article even shows that. That's part of the reason they want to use an unregulated band so they can exceed the currently established SAR limits.

And my point is that as there is no real evidence that magnetic fields cause any problems. My point is also that magnetic fields don't bio-accumulate.

Maybe the frequency band they are targeting is unregulated by SAR because it is safe? Perhaps it has been shown that the electric fields generated by such an oscillating magnetic field do not have any effect on any part of the human body?

And my final point is that considering everything in life carries risk, avoiding a useful technology because it *might* slightly increase your chances of getting an already very common psychological problem in the distant future (if physics and statistics both happen to be wrong), especially as large amounts of funding are being put towards curing these diseases because of their aforementioned commonness, so they may well be curable by then anyway, seems bizarre to me.
 

TallManNY

macrumors 601
Nov 5, 2007
4,743
1,594
What is left to charge? My laptop lasts a really long time. I could never need to charge it even daily. My iPad can last days as well. My iphone 6 easily lasts through even my longest day. Charging these devices is easy and done during down time. I still need to sleep for hours every day. I can get my charging done then. It is a minor inconvenience. Though it is a daily issue still.

My older devices aren't so energy efficient. But I'm going to replace them in fairly short order.

If they can make this device and get it to work, that would be a game changer. But lots of my charging issues are falling away. Though I suspect I might soon have another charging device in the form of an Apple Watch. So that might be another issue for me. Oh well.
 

Pelea

Suspended
Oct 5, 2014
512
1,444
Introducing Iwitricity, now 98% thinner than a regular witricity but with the following benefits:

- Range has been reduced from 2m to 2cm
- Recharges the battery up to 99% slower than a regular witricity!
- Works for only roughly 2 charges before needing to buy another (or 4/8 charges for the Iwitricity + and the Iwitricity++)
- Comes in a beautiful bendable aluminum form
- Only compatible with up to 1 apple device at any time
 

CthrewU

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2010
96
25
And my point is that as there is no real evidence that magnetic fields cause any problems. My point is also that magnetic fields don't bio-accumulate.

Maybe the frequency band they are targeting is unregulated by SAR because it is safe? Perhaps it has been shown that the electric fields generated by such an oscillating magnetic field do not have any effect on any part of the human body?

And my final point is that considering everything in life carries risk, avoiding a useful technology because it *might* slightly increase your chances of getting an already very common psychological problem in the distant future (if physics and statistics both happen to be wrong), especially as large amounts of funding are being put towards curing these diseases because of their aforementioned commonness, so they may well be curable by then anyway, seems bizarre to me.

There are peer reviewed medical journals that show magnetic fields cause long term somatic effects. It's all risk vs benefit, I don't see the benefit of this out weighing the risk. Get back to me in 20 years after the technology has been deployed and let's see what the studies say then. :cool:
 
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