Apple Exploring Wireless Charging for iPhone as Early as 2013?

[pacalis]

bc i think the title of "wireless charging" is a little misleading. Sure there isn't a wire plugged directly into the actual device...but your phone has to be case free and sit on this "charge pad" for it to be able to charge wirelessly.

So wireless internet is not wireless because you have to plug in the routers?

And wireless phones aren't wireless because the base stations have wires and you have to put the phones in the cradle?

Oh the lengths people will go to defend their behind the times phones.

 

[HiRez]

but it remains unknown if the next-generation iPhone will come with built-in wireless charging capability or with other attached accessories

Um...doesn't that kind of eliminate the advantage of wireless charging? If I have to attach some thing to my phone, I might as well just attach it to a power source.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

That's the thing if what they're working on is still dependent on having your iphone within a foot or so than its only convenient at night .

How can you say that? How about when you sit down to eat lunch or dinner every day and the restaurant provides a charging pad? How about on the subway? How about while you wait for a flight... or during flight? How about while you attend a meeting in a conference room? How about when you are sitting around at the coffee shop? How about when what you thought was going to be a quick excursion stretches out much longer and you left the brick & cable at home? And on and on.

Wifi is a good analogy. Just as you don't have to be within a foot or two of an ethernet port to access the internet via a wired connection anymore, this frees you from having to be within a foot or two of an available power socket. "Available" is the key word. How many times have you been somewhere where you could have been charging your battery if only there was an available socket around? It's a similar problem to the early days of wifi when you would like to connect if you could only find an available ethernet port.

I was just delayed at the airport. The precious few sockets were all occupied and my battery was fading. A "charge" station similar to airport wifi availability could be a solution to an increasingly common problem. It's certainly much easier to plug a long charging pad into a single outlet so that many can charge their devices rather than add many physical outlets.

Again, it's not an either-or; it's an additional way to charge our devices. Those happy to plug in could still plug in. It's the plugging in that is not always readily available when you need a charge. If Apple would build this into all iDevices, lots of wireless charging stations would pop up like wifi popped up. Then, instead of having to hope to find a socket soon, one could just charge wherever they are (that happens to offer some charging pads). At first, the iDevice hardware would exist while these charge stations seem scarce... but it wouldn't stay that way (much like when Apple adopted the 30-pin connector; in time, they started popping up in places we travel).

 

[MacManTexas56]

Then only use the wireless charging accessory /pad at night on your nightstand . Take your lighting cable to work as you do now !! LOL why would any company force a problem like that of only being able to charge your phone on wireless pads?! LoL are you seriously thinking they will eliminate regular USB charging?! HAHAHAHHHAH

hmmmm...apple hardware changes...

no more dvd/cd drives

no more ethernet jacks

considering it's 2013....do you think usb charging is the wave of the future? It's definitely not charging pads. A "true" wireless solution is the future.

 

[daveathall]

not always the case. i use mine for work...i'm always on the thing sending emails etc.

I could see something happening like this......

Boss: aren't you going to answer that call from your client?

Me: Oh well my phone is dying and it's charging so I can't.

Boss: What do you mean you can't? Just pick up the phone while it's charging.

Me: Well I can't, because then it stops charging.

Boss: Hmmm...mine charges fine while i'm still using the phone. What kind of charger is that?

Me: It's wireless charging.

Boss: Oh awesome, so it should be charging while you are talking on the phone without wires....pick the phone up then!

Me: Sorry, I can't. It has to sit on this pad to charge.

Boss: Wait, I thought you said it was wireless??

----------


sure sounds easy right. until you make an hour long phone call and your phone dies. It's just too restrictive.

You do know that you would also be able to charge normally if you wanted?

 

[MacManTexas56]

So wireless internet is not wireless because you have to plug in the routers?

And wireless phones aren't wireless because the base stations have wires and you have to put the phones in the cradle?

Oh the lengths people will go to defend their behind the times phones.

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.

----------

You do know that you would also be able to charge normally if you wanted?

omg i didn't know that???


really?

 

[Adam22]

How can you say that? How about when you sit down to eat lunch or dinner every day and the restaurant provides a charging pad? How about on the subway? How about while you wait for a flight... or during flight? How about while you attend a meeting in a conference room? How about when you are sitting around at the coffee shop? And on and on.

Wifi is a good analogy. Just as you don't have to be within a foot or two of an ethernet port to access the internet via a wired connection anymore, this frees you from having to be within a foot or two of an available power socket. "Available" is the key word. How many times have you been somewhere where you could have been charging your battery if only there was an available socket around? It's a similar problem to the early days of wifi when you would like to connect if you could only find an available ethernet port.

I was just delayed at the airport. The precious few sockets were all occupied and my battery was fading. A "charge" station similar to the "wifi" stations could be a solution to an increasingly common problem. It's certainly much easier to plug a long charging pad into a single outlet so that many can charge their devices rather than add many outlets.

I agree . I'm was telling the other guy that USB cable charging is still gonna be there and that if apple includes one wireless dock/pad then he can use that one at night on his nightstand and never worry about forgetting to plug it in and that is convenient . And if he doesn't wanna purchase extra wireless charging pads for his living room ,kitchen , etc for extra $ he can still use the lighting cable everywhere else since those are cheaper $ or if his job doesn't have wireless pads etc

 

[daveathall]

omg i didn't know that???

I can see that.

 

[Razorhog]

Wireless charging would be pretty sweet. However, I think R&D money is better spent on creating a better battery technology. Apple probably has enough money to invent a completely new kind of power. Put a mini fusion reactor in there or something.

 

[fabianjj]

bc i think the title of "wireless charging" is a little misleading. Sure there isn't a wire plugged directly into the actual device...but your phone has to be case free and sit on this "charge pad" for it to be able to charge wirelessly.

Would be better if it was advertised as charging pads etc. Bc it's not a truly wireless solution. You still have a charge pad that is WIRED that plugs into the wall and your phone has to be near that plug where the charge pad is located.

I mean it's like saying wireless internet...but you are restricted by being near an outlet and place your laptop on a "connection pad". doesn't really seem wireless to me if you are still having to be connected on something and close to an outlet.

I get your point, that depends on where we draw the line between what is and isn't truly "wireless", I could imagine taking that argument to the extreme and saying: "You still need the power wiring in your house, with a limited range from the house itselft". But what I meant was that the convenience doesn't come from there not being wires involved in the solution, but from the fact that you don't have to repeatedly connect/disconnect these wires from the device.

And since Phil Shiller has expressed similar sentiments, who knows if Apple releases this they may end up calling it "The new LightningPad", or something to avoid marketing it as truly wireless.

 

[Adam22]

hmmmm...apple hardware changes...

no more dvd/cd drives

no more ethernet jacks

considering it's 2013....do you think usb charging is the wave of the future? It's definitely not charging pads. A "true" wireless solution is the future.

Yeah true wireless charging is the future but I think starting with these wireless charging accessories is a step to that "true" wireless charging and ppl need to stop whining that they can't talk while its charging etc when they can still use they're USB/lighting cable to charge.

 

[Analog Kid]

Great, so Apple is going to move to wireless charging, but they refuse to make a dock and it takes years for them to license new interconnect technologies-- so I'll basically be able to use my phone once...

 

[Adam22]

I get your point, that depends on where we draw the line between what is and isn't truly "wireless", I could imagine taking that argument to the extreme and saying: "You still need the power wiring in your house, with a limited range from the house itselft". But what I meant was that the convenience doesn't come from there not being wires involved in the solution, but from the fact that you don't have to repeatedly connect/disconnect these wires from the device.

And since Phil Shiller has expressed similar sentiments, who knows if Apple releases this they may end up calling it "The new LightningPad", or something to avoid marketing it as truly wireless.

Yes!!!!

 

[canman4PM]

If it adds bulk, increases the cost, reduces the reliability or increases charge times then no thanks. If it's a totally add on accessory, great! Those that want it can have it, and those that don't...

Best reason for wireless charging, to me, is if I had multiple devices then one station could charge everything with one neat solution. As for building the charger into my computer: a) this only works if you tend to leave your phone near your computer - mine isn't in my bedroom, where my phone currently sleeps/charges as my alarm clock; and b) it adds to the cost of my computer, whether I'm going to use the feature or not. Personally, if I'm going to have it near my computer, I might as well just plug it in.

 

[MacManTexas56]

I get your point, that depends on where we draw the line between what is and isn't truly "wireless", I could imagine taking that argument to the extreme and saying: "You still need the power wiring in your house, with a limited range from the house itselft". But what I meant was that the convenience doesn't come from there not being wires involved in the solution, but from the fact that you don't have to repeatedly connect/disconnect these wires from the device.

And since Phil Shiller has expressed similar sentiments, who knows if Apple releases this they may end up calling it "The new LightningPad", or something to avoid marketing it as truly wireless.

has america become that lazy that plugging a lightning cable into the bottom of your phone is that big of a hassle??

I don't think i'm being extreme at all.

Imagine you go to a hotel and they advertise wireless internet. So you get there and ask about it and they say yes sir, it's right over here and your laptop has to lay on this connection pad and you can only sit within 3 feet from an outlet.

Imagine "wireless charging"....you connect to a little airport express type base station wireless...like you do wireless internet. an icon pops up on your phone showing you are connected and signal strength etc. The closer you are...the quicker it charges. Or could be something how bluetooth works. But to call wireless charging when it still has to be attached to a base is pretty misleading.

----------

Yeah true wireless charging is the future but I think starting with these wireless charging accessories is a step to that "true" wireless charging and ppl need to stop whining that they can't talk while its charging etc when they can still use they're USB/lighting cable to charge.

don't call it wireless. call it a charging pad.

 

[Adam22]

has america become that lazy that plugging a lightning cable into the bottom of your phone is that big of a hassle??

I don't think i'm being extreme at all.

Imagine you go to a hotel and they advertise wireless internet. So you get there and ask about it and they say yes sir, it's right over here and your laptop has to lay on this connection pad and you can only sit within 3 feet from an outlet.

Imagine "wireless charging"....you connect to a little airport express type base station wireless...like you do wireless internet. an icon pops up on your phone showing you are connected and signal strength etc. The closer you are...the quicker it charges. Or could be something how bluetooth works. But to call wireless charging when it still has to be attached to a base is pretty misleading.

----------



don't call it wireless. call it a charging pad.

You are being a little extreme . I'm sure apple and the other company's in the future will have "true" wireless charging where it doesn't have to be 3 feet from the charging accessories . But these wireless charging accessories are one step closer to those technologies being in the iPhones in the future when its cheaper and won't increase the iPhones price significantly . Till then its convinient 100% at least for a home charging when you don't have to worry about plugging it in every night. That's not lazy that's just tech making it more convinient for people. Your like my uncle or older ppl when more smart phones started having maps, voice directions GPS , and my uncle saying when we were younger we would actually remember every phone number and didn't rely on technology to remember/save all the numbers and we would look at a real map ... These young kids are lazy!!! Lol stop it

 

[canman4PM]

Nothing out of the ordinary, I just find my cable very weak and flimsy. The internal cabling feels very loose where they join the actual charger. Think lots of people have had this issue

I've have an iPod from 1994, a retired iPhone 3G, a 4S and an iPad. Never blown a cord. My kids have killed a few of their cords but they kill, on average, an electronic device every 6 months or so...

 

[baryon]

With Magnetic Resonance, I've seen experiments where energy could be transferred over greater distances like a meter or so. Imagine if you could just put your iPhone on the table with your Mac close by, and your Mac would charge your phone. No extra cables. That would be worth it!

If it's just a plate that you have to plug in to the wall, and rest your iPhone on it, it's a bit pointless.

 

[MacManTexas56]

You are being a little extreme . I'm sure apple and the other company's in the future will have "true" wireless charging where it doesn't have to be 3 feet from the charging accessories . But these wireless charging accessories are one step closer to those technologies being in the iPhones in the future when its cheaper and won't increase the iPhones price significantly . Till then its convinient 100% at least for a home charging when you don't have to worry about plugging it in every night. That's not lazy that's just tech making it more convinient for people. Your like my uncle or older ppl when more smart phones started having maps, voice directions GPS , and my uncle saying when we were younger we would actually remember every phone number and didn't rely on technology to remember/save all the numbers and we would look at a real map ... These young kids are lazy!!! Lol stop it

all you have to do is change the name. to me, it's not wireless charging it if still has to be attached to something. wow, so the plug doesn't go into the bottom of the phone, but the phone still has to be attached to a base. Yeah wow, that's incredible technology and totally nonrestrictive!

 

[Adam22]

[/COLOR]

don't call it wireless. call it a charging pad.[/QUOTE]

You already know that. I'm sure if apple does implement this they won't call it wireless either , maybe lighting pad? ;-)

 

[MacManTexas56]

[/COLOR]

don't call it wireless. call it a charging pad.

You already know that. I'm sure if apple does implement this they won't call it wireless either , maybe lighting pad? ;-)[/QUOTE]

why wouldn't they call it wireless tho? it's wireless!!

 

[canman4PM]

Apple's standard approach,

- Deny that they are interested in any feature the mainstream competitors already use.
- A year later, introduce the same feature, and call it revolutionary.

For example, you saw this with the screen size. Soon you'll get wireless charging and NFC. Both have Apple dismissed interest in, yet both will arrive, about 2-3 years after the competition. With proprietary technology, of course.

You mean like the original iPhone? Or the original iPad?

 

[Adam22]

all you have to do is change the name. to me, it's not wireless charging it if still has to be attached to something. wow, so the plug doesn't go into the bottom of the phone, but the phone still has to be attached to a base. Yeah wow, that's incredible technology and totally nonrestrictive!

The convenience of that is that you only have to plug in the charging pad once ! When you unbox your new shiny iphone lay the pad on your nightstand and u can charge you phone every night without forgetting to plug it in. That's why it's convenient for night charging , now it's up to you if you wanna buy the more expensive pads than the lightning cables to have in the living room, kitchen , office etc.

 

[fabianjj]

has america become that lazy that plugging a lightning cable into the bottom of your phone is that big of a hassle??

I don't think i'm being extreme at all.

I wasn't suggesting that you were, simply stating that somewhere we have to draw the line, it seems we disagree on where, but I do agree that a fully wireless untethered soultion would be preferable if would work well.

I'm usually for anything that removes any need to "manage" my gadgets (or make that any object), and I 'm not sure I would call it lazyness. One example that annoys me a lot that I have to open the App Store-app on my iPhone every now and then just to update my apps, I should be given the option to just have those updates automatically downloaded and installed (perhaps overnight while connected to power and wifi). Technology ideally shouldn't have to be "noticed", it is just supposed to be there to improve our lives.

 

[Adam22]

I wasn't suggesting that you were, simply stating that somewhere we have to draw the line, it seems we disagree on where, but I do agree that a fully wireless untethered soultion would be preferable if would work well.

I'm usually for anything that removes any need to "manage" my gadgets (or make that any object), and I 'm not sure I would call it lazyness. One example that annoys me a lot that I have to open the App Store-app on my iPhone every now and then just to update my apps, I should be given the option to just have those updates automatically downloaded and installed (perhaps overnight while connected to power and wifi). Technology ideally shouldn't have to be "noticed", it is just supposed to be there to improve our lives.

hes gonna call you lazy again and say " are you that lazy that you cant go in the app store yourself and click update all? how hard is that? next your gonna pay someone to do that for you" LOL they dont get that thing being easier and more convenient isnt laziness is that tech can do it and tech needs to progress. and having these charging pads/wireless charging pads for now its a step closer to "true" wireless charging and apple will do these better if they do make them its gonna be internal and wont make the iphone thicker by adding a case ,if they do at all