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Apple Exploring Wireless Charging for iPhone as Early as 2013?
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Agreed. It's probably unrealistic, but I wish that the battery on the iPhone was about as long as the iPad battery
GenesisST
macrumors 68000
I apologize, I use the f-word too easily. I'm French Canadian and a "phoque" is an animal whose cubs we bludgeon to death with a baseball bat, so nothing offensive... 🙂
But yeah, I was a bit offended, when I shouldn't have been. Sorry once again.
Waiting for an better iteration before jumping in is not not moving forward!!!
FYI, I had HDTV in 2002 with a rear projection when my cable provider's only HD content was PBS and the odd hockey game on CBC on a special channel...
That thought me to wait a bit before taking the plunge... let other early adopters iron out the wrinkles for me... I have other priorities than to be on the bleeding edge.
I also had the first Intel iMac (still running too!)
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FatMax
macrumors 6502
It's a stupid idea, until it's implemented and everyone here laps it up like it's the first time they've seen a rube goldberg machine
Klae17
macrumors 65816
Been reading for many years.
Difference between blind devotion and appreciation of innovation and convenience. Whining every time is getting old. EVERY TIME.
Chupa Chupa
macrumors G5
OK, but why is it a zero-sum game? Certainly Apple has the money and resources to do both.
ConCat
macrumors 6502a
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.
The REAL Dirt
Here's the deal folks, since I waded through 10 pages of FUD to get here...
This tech is not new. It was developed OVER 100 years ago by Nikola Tesla and was slated to be the delivery method for ALL electricity, but was mothballed because at the time, the electrical utilities had no way to meter consumption.
In essence, it consists of an antenna (tesla coil style, for transmitting and receiving longitudinal waves) and an RLC Tank circuit, on each end (where the power comes from and where it is going).
In the last ten years, there have been tremendous advances in the fields of fractal antenna design and digitally tuned RLC circuit design that are facilitating the new wave of non inductive power transmission technologies.
WiTricity is just the beginning, and in 20 years, nothing sold in stores that uses electricity will have external wires as every household will have a multi-node, password protected wireless power distribution appliance much like your WIFI router handles all the data in your house now.
By the way, I have seen experiments where power is transmitted in this fashion across dozens of miles...
Here's the deal folks, since I waded through 10 pages of FUD to get here...
This tech is not new. It was developed OVER 100 years ago by Nikola Tesla and was slated to be the delivery method for ALL electricity, but was mothballed because at the time, the electrical utilities had no way to meter consumption.
In essence, it consists of an antenna (tesla coil style, for transmitting and receiving longitudinal waves) and an RLC Tank circuit, on each end (where the power comes from and where it is going).
In the last ten years, there have been tremendous advances in the fields of fractal antenna design and digitally tuned RLC circuit design that are facilitating the new wave of non inductive power transmission technologies.
WiTricity is just the beginning, and in 20 years, nothing sold in stores that uses electricity will have external wires as every household will have a multi-node, password protected wireless power distribution appliance much like your WIFI router handles all the data in your house now.
By the way, I have seen experiments where power is transmitted in this fashion across dozens of miles...
Given the loss of efficiency, some of which will improve with technology, and the looming energy crises I'm skeptical that we will be going this route. At least not outside of a niche "premium" function.
Fishticks
macrumors 6502
Before Apple release it:
"Such a useless feature, Lightning cable are so great and inexpensive, and I love to use them on my they-must-not-make-a-bigger-screen iPhone."
After Apple release it:
"Wow so great, Apple are such innovators, they invented wireless charging while the competition are stuck with expensive cablejunk. The wireless charger costs 100$, but that's cheap for not having to scrub my iPhone back with the plug.
But please Apple no larger screen."
Muhaha.
"Such a useless feature, Lightning cable are so great and inexpensive, and I love to use them on my they-must-not-make-a-bigger-screen iPhone."
After Apple release it:
"Wow so great, Apple are such innovators, they invented wireless charging while the competition are stuck with expensive cablejunk. The wireless charger costs 100$, but that's cheap for not having to scrub my iPhone back with the plug.
But please Apple no larger screen."
Muhaha.
There is no loss in efficiency. All power transmitted will be received on the other end because you're creating a charge dipole in space that is resonantly tuned. Your losses with this system are better than through copper transmission lines at high voltage. This is not a run of the mill inductive charging system.
There are lots of people dumping money into this right now for R&D, it is not the jetsons or some stupid money black hole. I assure you if Apple is considering this (they are keen on front running innovation) and it comes to pass the adoption in other sectors will be almost instantaneous. Remember we had no smart phones 7 or 8 years ago and there is now a legitimate "race to the tricorder" competition underway...
coolbreeze
macrumors 68000
Love wireless charging on my Nexus 4. Face it, if Apple "invented" this first, this place would be swooning off the chain.
Now that Apple isn't first, the comments are all "what a waste - how is this useful - gimmick - joke, etc."
Once the iPhone 6 has it, the comments will be all "OMG BEST THING EVER THANK YOU APPLE FOR INVENTING WIRELESS CHARGING" and so forth.
Lol. Also, Google Wallet/NFC is awesome. But Apple will invent it. We're all excited about these upcoming revolutions.
Now that Apple isn't first, the comments are all "what a waste - how is this useful - gimmick - joke, etc."
Once the iPhone 6 has it, the comments will be all "OMG BEST THING EVER THANK YOU APPLE FOR INVENTING WIRELESS CHARGING" and so forth.
Lol. Also, Google Wallet/NFC is awesome. But Apple will invent it. We're all excited about these upcoming revolutions.
notabadname
macrumors 68000
Useless IMO
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.
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.
iSayuSay
macrumors 68040
That's right. No company would totally eliminate wired charging over inductive charging at this point.
People complain here because it's not the time YET to offer "wireless" charging at this point. It's just in a sad phase, totally not ready.
A WiFi router which can't maintain a stable connection longer than one feet should not be a WiFi. Why would I use WiFi like that over an Ethernet which is 1000x better, cheaper and more reliable? Just nothing worth the compromise.
Wireless charging is nothing more than turning the back of your phone into a giant charging port. It's still cumbersome. It's still tiring.
Wireless charging is still charging. With all its limitation..
coolbreeze
macrumors 68000
Charges at the same rate. It's highly convenient. Come to a dark room (for bed) and just lay your phone on the charger. An NFC tag sets your phone to night mode and activates your alarm. In the morning, just lift it and go (the NFC tag sets to normal when you pick it up). That's revolutionary.
Also, as these become more popular, you go to Starbucks...lay your phone on a charging pad while you have a coffee, etc. You guys will be all over it if Apple includes it in an upcoming iPhone. Until then, full haterade mode. Charging port breaks/damaged? No worries.
I'm not trolling here. It's a legitimate technology that makes your life easier for sure. You guys will figure it out one day.
Apple will "invent" it in a way that makes it worthwhile. Not the "gee whiz, this is cool" crap that Nexus has.
notabadname
macrumors 68000
You are simply incorrect on charging rate. Inductive charging has inefficiencies as compared to direct charging (some power lost to heat in the induction process). For the same current/amp rate out of wall, direct is faster- period. So instead labeling people as being in"full hatermode", read the science. Additionally, numerous airports and planes already have USB built in. So using a induction wireless charger on an airplane would not be convenient by any measure. And walk through an airport and see how many people make calls while plugged into USB - charging and talking - you telling me you can play "Angry Birds" or make a call while charging on your mat? And I would love to see you do it while leaning against a wall, using a wall-plug at JFK. I'm not hating, I'm stating practicality, and how many of us use our devices.
Leading Android phones clearly have nothing to do with it. Their implementation is worthless. Let's face it, plug in a connector or put it on a special pad that STILL has to be plugged in, your still connected and limited by wires. When it can truly be done in a wireles manner, then it will be special, and yes, it will take the likes of Apple to make that happen.
Qi standard? Talk about sheep.
coolbreeze
macrumors 68000
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!
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iSayuSay
macrumors 68040
1. Finding a charging pod is no easier than finding and plugging a charging cable in a totally dark room.
2. A wired charging dock does not need any fancy NFC tag to put your phone into night mode
3. Actually not all things [revolutionized] by iPhone are picked up like crazy. iTunes syncing, tiny 3.5" screen, and also Siri are some examples of mediocrity.
4. All in all, wireless charging nowadays is more like IR port on a phone back then, it was short lived, rubbish and gimmicky until something more useful and reliable like Bluetooth emerged.
Yep inductive charging is the IR port of smartphone charging.
Technology advances. How long since you've bought a wireless mouse? The receivers are now as small as your thumbnail and just plug into a usb port.
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When my family travels w bring 2iPads, 2 iPhones and 2 iPods and 1charger. What's the big deal? no problems.
cclloyd
macrumors 68000
coolbreeze
macrumors 68000
google.com/nexus
With all those jailbroken devices you have, may I suggest you explore Android JellyBean 4.2.2? It's fantastic. I used to jailbreak my old iPhones and root Android phones. Not so with the Nexus 4 and JellyBean. It's butter and pretty much owns. So flexible.
BTW, that's the wireless orb for the Nexus 4. Yah, it's old news around here. 🙂
lordofthereef
macrumors G5
To those complaining about speed of charging... I'm willing to bet that most of the charging people do on their devices happens overnight while they sleep. Wireless charging certainly isn't going to see us without being able to plug the device in if need be. Set the phone down on a pad when you sleep, and grab it when you are ready in the morning.
To those complaining about efficiency... Newer standards have become quite efficient. Perhaps not quite as efficient as a cable, but hey, that's the price of convenience sometimes. As it stands, it's costs under two bucks to charge an iPhone from dead to full every day for a year. If you are an environment warrior (Incan respect that), you can save the earth more by driving a car that gets just one more mile per gallon than you currently do.
To those saying that this doesn't remove cables... That's not the point. It removes the need for you to keep plugging the device in. This inevitably reduces wear and tear. For those that buy a phone every time a new one launches (I am sure many of you here), this may not matter. But there are
Plenty of people who use their devices for many years. Ports and buttons are probably the two weakest points most prone to failure, hence reducing wear and tear being quite desirable.
Wireless charging isn't likely to change the world. But it certainly is quite convenient. It's something I would like to see, but would like to see it with the Qi standard, unless Apple is able to demonstrate legitimate improvement over Qi with their own proprietary solution. One ofnthenworst things a tech user has to face is getting difference cables, chargers, and accessories for all of their devices. Wireless charging coupled with NFC could be a fantastic way for us to see base stations compatible with all kinds of different devices and bands, rather than being brand specific.
To those complaining about efficiency... Newer standards have become quite efficient. Perhaps not quite as efficient as a cable, but hey, that's the price of convenience sometimes. As it stands, it's costs under two bucks to charge an iPhone from dead to full every day for a year. If you are an environment warrior (Incan respect that), you can save the earth more by driving a car that gets just one more mile per gallon than you currently do.
To those saying that this doesn't remove cables... That's not the point. It removes the need for you to keep plugging the device in. This inevitably reduces wear and tear. For those that buy a phone every time a new one launches (I am sure many of you here), this may not matter. But there are
Plenty of people who use their devices for many years. Ports and buttons are probably the two weakest points most prone to failure, hence reducing wear and tear being quite desirable.
Wireless charging isn't likely to change the world. But it certainly is quite convenient. It's something I would like to see, but would like to see it with the Qi standard, unless Apple is able to demonstrate legitimate improvement over Qi with their own proprietary solution. One ofnthenworst things a tech user has to face is getting difference cables, chargers, and accessories for all of their devices. Wireless charging coupled with NFC could be a fantastic way for us to see base stations compatible with all kinds of different devices and bands, rather than being brand specific.