Apple Has at Least Five Different Groups Working on Wireless Charging Ahead of iPhone 8

[Levelut]

it would be amazing if someone from the media stated THIS IS NOT WIRELESS CHARGING. I don't care if there is no plug, if there is a wire from the wall that connects to the phone in any way (like the apple watch and Samsung Galaxy) then this is induction charging or inductive charging, but unless there is NO CABLE this is NOT wireless charging.

Thank you

 

[kemal]

2KW? It is called "an inductive cooktop".

 

[EdT]

it would be amazing if someone from the media stated THIS IS NOT WIRELESS CHARGING. I don't care if there is no plug, if there is a wire from the wall that connects to the phone in any way (like the apple watch and Samsung Galaxy) then this is induction charging or inductive charging, but unless there is NO CABLE this is NOT wireless charging.

Thank you

Since at some point there is a wire leading from a power source to whatever is broadcasting power to the device being recharged then by your definition there isn't anyone making a wireless charger for anything. Nikola Tesla never got his wireless power transmission tower built. And I think it was an inductive based process as well.

 

[Analog Kid]

Truely wireless power (power at a range) will be industry changing.

We want true wireless charging. Not charging on a mat.

it would be amazing if someone from the media stated THIS IS NOT WIRELESS CHARGING. I don't care if there is no plug, if there is a wire from the wall that connects to the phone in any way (like the apple watch and Samsung Galaxy) then this is induction charging or inductive charging, but unless there is NO CABLE this is NOT wireless charging.

ARGH!

Inductive is truly wireless. Power is not being conducted through a wire to the device. Nobody said Bluetooth isn't wireless because WiFi is longer range-- they differentiated it as "short range wireless". NFC is wireless and it's even shorter range.

There's enough areas of life where language is being bent and distorted to strip it of meaning. Can we at least keep our science and technology words precise? If what you're asking for is long range wireless, say that. Don't deny that a technology without wires is wireless.

And @Levelut, you're basically saying that even WiFi isn't wireless because you need to cables for power and data to the base station.

Am I the only one thinking that, without a MAJOR scientific breakthrough, general remote charging is just Star Trek sci-fi stuff?
And any startup coming up with this is just a set up by scammers to make quick money from stupid investors and run?

No, you're not the only one. I'm still waiting for someone to show me a safe and legal way to get a watt out of the air at 5m.

The best solution is probably to put a solar panel on the back of the device. The sun rains down a kilowatt per square meter.

 

[EdT]

ARGH!

Inductive is truly wireless. Power is not being conducted through a wire to the device. Nobody said Bluetooth isn't wireless because WiFi is longer range-- they differentiated it as "short range wireless". NFC is wireless and it's even shorter range.

There's enough areas of life where language is being bent and distorted to strip it of meaning. Can we at least keep our science and technology words precise? If what you're asking for is long range wireless, say that. Don't deny that a technology without wires is wireless.

And @Levelut, you're basically saying that even WiFi isn't wireless because you need to cables for power and data to the base station.
No, you're not the only one. I'm still waiting for someone to show me a safe and legal way to get a watt out of the air at 5m.

The best solution is probably to put a solar panel on the back of the device. The sun rains down a kilowatt per square meter.

Not sure of 5 meters but:

https://www.google.com/amp/gizmodo....-powering-an-ent-1792565499/amp?client=safari

 

[prowlmedia]

It's not stupid. I love just popping my Apple Watch on the charger and it's charging while I sleep. Would love to do the same with my phone. All other times I can charge with the cable. You can use it and charge at the same time - use a BT headset.

Solutions to a problem created by a pointless solution.

The watch Is not really the same sort of induction it slots into place.

And unless it's the same charging connector... That's another one to carry around... And If it's a pad then why would you want to carry that around.

 

[BPresh]

See Hump case, Apl Tv remote for guidance...i would not expect greater than Samsung effort honestly

Wireless charging thankfully is pretty pointless, not that hard to plug in a fast USB-Charger , easy in fact 55 minutes later full charge ( never use the Qi built into my 950 its pointless to do so)
[doublepost=1487867701][/doublepost]

with Siri? good one.

Haha, well, of course you're not expecting greater-than-Samsung effort. You've made it quite clear what you think of Apple.

 

[BoltmanLives]

Haha, well, of course you're not expecting greater-than-Samsung effort. You've made it quite clear what you think of Apple.

I think Apl is a great corporate story, their latest products since ipad in 2009 are overpriced "meh", I say that having been an Apl consumer, currently own two Apl products. Also my perspective is as a consumer of other tech, Primarily Microsoft, Dell, Sony, Canon, LG ,Amazon (kindles not Echo) , Custom assembly and Sharp. Apl can impress me anytime, go for it. I'm not holding my breath though. Apl as of now are my least impressive tech devices..basic toys

One way to impress me, come out with something really cool NOT tied to the 10yo iPhone at all...lets see that pipeline Tim

Apl needs to be criticised they've made bad decisions and design choices. they are risking a lot being ineffective at designing cool new devices. (as that is supposed to be their thing)

 

[Bacillus]

If they release a charging method that is nothing more than what Samsung has I will personally eat my own head. Have you ever seen a man eat his own head?

Haha
Chances are that FaceTime will survive iP8. Save your mouth as the final piece when eating your head

 

[MH01]

The solution will be based on an acccessory that sells for about $80. Profit first
[doublepost=1487890346][/doublepost]

Over the air charging isn't revolutionary? I'd say that's a pretty big deal.

And remember that this will just be the first iteration of many. You can't really significantly advance any technology until you actually have lots of products out there and learn from customer feedback, or find problems that wouldn't have shown up during testing.

Over the air will not happen as apple wants to sell you lots of charging pads . And the apple wireless charger will only work will the iPhone . Based on history

 

[Fenez]

Over air charging will never be available, it will never be FCC compliant. The amount of lost energy is too great for it to ever be efficient. Energous (wattup) is a sketchy company at best, that has been promising year after year and has yet to deliver anything even close to the claims they have made.

 

[B.K.]

Wireless chargers which still require you to plug them in to the wall. Hardly revolutionary.

Make the battery life better, then we wouldn't need to charge so often

Hate to break it to you, but plugging into the wall "power outlet" seems pretty much a given.

 

[Tech198]

I hope that thing doesn't roll..

 

[ksnell]

What?

Wireless internet...wireless power...see the appeal now?

 

[andy9l]

Wireless internet...wireless power...see the appeal now?

With wireless networking I can walk around and use it on my devices. There's a tangible benefit.

With the current wireless charging tech, it's more of a hindrance than wired chargers.

Still not sure what your point is.

 

[Keirasplace]

it would be amazing if someone from the media stated THIS IS NOT WIRELESS CHARGING. I don't care if there is no plug, if there is a wire from the wall that connects to the phone in any way (like the apple watch and Samsung Galaxy) then this is induction charging or inductive charging, but unless there is NO CABLE this is NOT wireless charging.

Thank you

current induction charging like Qi is wireless, it's just very short distance wireless - from mat to phone. More like an induction stovetop than anything else .

An antenna is also using induction to receive the signal and transform it into an electrical impulse.

 

[Analog Kid]

Not sure of 5 meters but:

https://www.google.com/amp/gizmodo....-powering-an-ent-1792565499/amp?client=safari

Yeah, but:

"The room needs to be specially built to provide the wireless power. That means the walls are made of aluminum panels and there’s a big, ugly copper pipe smack in the middle going from floor-to-ceiling.
...
The thing is, the devices in the room need to be using that energy or it could become a hazard. Also, people shouldn’t stand closer than 46 centimeters to the pole."​

And it looks like the FCC unlicensed limit in this band is 100mW into the final RF stage, so this would only work if you have an AM broadcast license or are a college radio station with a very big campus.

This seems none of safe, legal or practical...

 

[Cloudkicker]

How is that picture not the equivalent of putting my Panasonic cordless telephone on its base?

Yeah. That's 'wireless charging', like a 'Hoverboard' today is identical to what we saw in Back The Future. It's a damn Segway w/ the verticle stick broken off. There. I said it. The term Hoverboard has been irking me for years. It has wheels, so it doesn't hover.

Don't even get me started on how Huggie's Pull-Ups are 'training pants'.

 

[EdT]

How is that picture not the equivalent of putting my Panasonic cordless telephone on its base?

Yeah. That's 'wireless charging', like a 'Hoverboard' today is identical to what we saw in Back The Future. It's a damn Segway w/ the verticle stick broken off. There. I said it. The term Hoverboard has been irking me for years. It has wheels, so it doesn't hover.

Don't even get me started on how Huggie's Pull-Ups are 'training pants'.

So.... Huggie's Pull Ups aren't training pants?

 

[AppleScruff1]

But .. but .. I'll have to wrap my personal bits in aluminum foil to keep the cancer out!!!

That's all you've got, bits?

 

[SoApple]

ARGH!

Inductive is truly wireless. Power is not being conducted through a wire to the device. Nobody said Bluetooth isn't wireless because WiFi is longer range-- they differentiated it as "short range wireless". NFC is wireless and it's even shorter range.

There's enough areas of life where language is being bent and distorted to strip it of meaning. Can we at least keep our science and technology words precise? If what you're asking for is long range wireless, say that. Don't deny that a technology without wires is wireless.

And @Levelut, you're basically saying that even WiFi isn't wireless because you need to cables for power and data to the base station.
No, you're not the only one. I'm still waiting for someone to show me a safe and legal way to get a watt out of the air at 5m.

The best solution is probably to put a solar panel on the back of the device. The sun rains down a kilowatt per square meter.

Fair enough but i'm sure you understand what most of us mean.

How would you feel if you had to put your laptop on top of your router in order to connect to wifi? Not so great , right?

 

[EdT]

Fair enough but i'm sure you understand what most of us mean.

How would you feel if you had to put your laptop on top of your router in order to connect to wifi? Not so great , right?

Ok, getting away from the wireless/not wireless semantic argument this is a valid point. Some people won't be bothered by having to have their phone on a physical mat, and others will. I'm not sure I have a place in my car to conveniently place a charging mat, so if that's the only way to charge in my car then it would be a problem. At home it probably would still be more convenient to use a mat than physically plugging the phone in with a power cube and cord.

 

[SoApple]

Ok, getting away from the wireless/not wireless semantic argument this is a valid point. Some people won't be bothered by having to have their phone on a physical mat, and others will. I'm not sure I have a place in my car to conveniently place a charging mat, so if that's the only way to charge in my car then it would be a problem. At home it probably would still be more convenient to use a mat than physically plugging the phone in with a power cube and cord.

I find the mat would be an inconvenience. Wouldn't you find it annoying to have to pick up your phone and have it stop charging everytime you want to send a message or pick up a phone call? (Granted you can send a message with the phone on the mat) Doing so would hinder the phones battery life.

 

[Analog Kid]

Fair enough but i'm sure you understand what most of us mean.

How would you feel if you had to put your laptop on top of your router in order to connect to wifi? Not so great , right?

I do understand, and agree with that whole heartedly-- but we don't need to say it's "not wireless" to make that point.

Ok, getting away from the wireless/not wireless semantic argument this is a valid point. Some people won't be bothered by having to have their phone on a physical mat, and others will. I'm not sure I have a place in my car to conveniently place a charging mat, so if that's the only way to charge in my car then it would be a problem. At home it probably would still be more convenient to use a mat than physically plugging the phone in with a power cube and cord.

Wireless in general provides one major difference from wired: no wire thus no connector. For some, this means it's easier to dock because you don't have to aim, and for those people I think they'd prefer the wifi scenario @SoApple suggests over having to plug in an ethernet cable.

I'm not really one of those people. I suppose if that "wifi mat" had ethernet, power, video and a few thunderbolt and USB ports I'd be happier than I am plugging a bunch of cables into my laptop, but just for power? Not so much.

Certainly in the iPhone, I don't want to trade valuable space for a second way of charging and probably won't use it if that's all it is.

I suspect Apple sees another advantage in the no connector approach though: they can completely seal up the housing. That's a real benefit that I'm willing to listen to but it can't add much inconvenience because it will now be the only charging interface.

We don't know what wireless method Apple is considering here (and they may not release anything in the end for all the reasons we're outlining), but I expect it to be near field inductive because nothing else seems viable. I'm hoping that if this is true, Apple has found a way to make the solution portable. I'm ok with the watch puck. I don't want to have to start carrying those Samsung cantaloupes in my luggage and daypack.

I'm not sure the puck can source enough juice to charge a phone and, even if it can, it requires a mounting point that the iPhone doesn't have. One solution I can imagine is if they get the camera bump to do double duty-- give them more room for the lens system and provide a mount for the charger.

That's starting to sound like something I'd be willing to give a shot.

 

[noslenam]

Wireless chargers which still require you to plug them in to the wall. Hardly revolutionary.

Make the battery life better, then we wouldn't need to charge so often

Will we still have the option to plug in. Being a pilot who travels all day I have very little time and space to have to carry extra crap around. I love the ability to just plug my phone into my external battery to get the extra charge I may need. I can see if you have the capability in the car, office or home to plug in the wireless charger but for people who travel a lot how will this effect them? Just make the phone another .2-.3 mm thicker and enough battery to last two days and I'm happy.