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Given the ongoing controversy over the viability of uBeam's proposed technology, it is perhaps unsurprising some of its engineers are looking at other job opportunities, and Apple's interest in wireless charging makes the company a natural fit.
Actually it's quite surprising Apple hired them.
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Apple wireless charging MUST have some range to it, at least a meter. Sit down at my desk and my phone starts charging while still in my pocket because of the charging unit by my desk. Go to sleep while wearing my Apple Watch and it starts charging because of the charger unit by my bed. And in my car, the phone could charge wirelessly while simultaneously using wireless CarPlay. No need to plug anything in anywhere is the Apple way.
Cancer treatment centers are eagerly awaiting new patients.
 
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Apple is very late in the wireless charging game. Seems that

Not if the technology they've been working on and developing charges from a distance.
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I really don't understand why everyone gets all excited about this. How difficult is it to plug in a cable?! The complexity and risks involved in wireless charging just don't add up to the perceived benefits, IMO.

Well... If the technology charges from a distance while the phone is in your pocket or in a room, or with you in public spaces, that could be very interesting.
 
Actually it's quite surprising Apple hired them.
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Cancer treatment centers are eagerly awaiting new patients.
Apple's approach focuses on magnetism (Near Field Magnetic Resonance) being the transmission method. Unless you think the earths magnetic field is giving people cancer, I wouldn't be concerned about it.

I also don't think it's surprising that Apple hired these guys. It seems that UBeam's approach used beam forming, which is applicable in both wifi and power transmission. Just because UBeams specific implementation doesn't work, doesn't mean the beam forming expertise won't be useful in Apple specific implementation.

I wouldn't say that a low level data analyst working at Enron back in the day has no use to another business because the company they worked for was full of ****, why should it apply here?
 
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As rumors swirl around Apple's potential integration of wireless charging in future iPhone models, The Verge discovered the company has recently hired a pair of engineers with specialties focused in wireless charging and ultrasonic technology. Those two hires came in the past four months, but they are part of a larger group of more than a dozen wireless charging hires over the past two years.

ubeam_graphic.jpg

The two latest hires, Jonathan Bolus and Andrew Joyce, come from startup uBeam, which is working on a wireless charging technique centered around the harnessing of ultrasonic waves that are converted into electricity to charge an electronic device. Questions about the viability of uBeam's technology have been around for a while, and former VP of Engineering at uBeam, Paul Reynolds, has been highlighting the company's errors and potential for failure on his personal blog. The most recent post centers around the mishandled and controversial PR battle faced by blood test startup Theranos, and the suggested implications similarly affecting uBeam.Given the ongoing controversy over the viability of uBeam's proposed technology, it is perhaps unsurprising some of its engineers are looking at other job opportunities, and Apple's interest in wireless charging makes the company a natural fit.

Apple has filed various patents relating to wireless charging in the past, but remains quiet on its implementation in a future iPhone. Apple executives have downplayed the significance and usefulness of wireless charging before, mainly due to the necessity of users needing some kind of mat to lay the iPhone on, which would still need to be plugged into a wall.

A possible solution for that problem came from a Bloomberg report earlier in the year, which said Apple was pursuing an extended range wireless charging technique that would negate the need of a separate charging mat and fuel up an iPhone from across a room with no extraneous accessories required. Apple never commented on the report, but speculation suggested Apple could be working with Energous Corporation on the technology.

uBeam's promise for wireless charging is similar to Apple's alleged goal of a free range, totally wireless charging ability for iPhone devices, so the two new hires could be helping the company introduce such a feature into a new model down the line. Reports early in the year pointed to the introduction of wireless charging in this year's iPhone 7, but it's largely expected now for the feature to be held off until 2017 or even later.

Article Link: Apple Hires Pair of Engineers From Wireless Charging Startup uBeam
Even for Apple geeks Cook whores that sounds like a deadly boring job.
 
Actually it's quite surprising Apple hired them.
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Cancer treatment centers are eagerly awaiting new patients.

As long as the charging wavelengths are not at ionizing frequencies (the ones strong enough to move electrons from the shells of atoms), you're good.
 
I would like to see the smart connector on the IP7Pro(?) have a usb plugin adapter to place in the auto. Then just lay the phone on it for CarPlay.
 
uBeam... hmm

{sniff} Kinda smells like {sniff, sniff}... like {sniff)... like GT Advance :eek: I could be wrong through.

More importantly, I have concerns about the affects of extended wireless charging on other electronics in the charging zone. May be nothing, but I have yet to see an info addressing the issue.

Ubeam is still not in store shelves so you may have a point that this could all be a pipe dream. We shall see, but the idea sounds awesome.

As far as your concern it really depends on the wave modulation. From their website it seemed it was happen at a very different place than say FM/AM/GSM etc. But I am not an expert so that is just an opinion.
 
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Ubeam is still not in store shelves so you may have a point that this could all be a pipe dream. We shall see, but the idea sounds awesome.

As far as your concern it really depends on the wave modulation. From their website it seemed it was happen at a very different place than say FM/AM/GSM etc. But I am not an expert so that is just an opinion.
Yeah, I just checked out their site. Good on them for saying they are a long way from a commercially viable product. The ultrasound and beam forming seem novel. Looks like they're trying to make sure they cover their bases regarding safety. Kudos there. If their product is even half as good as their marketing then they may have something. I would guess Apple is going to take the new hires and use their knowledge on a product that uses different tech.
 
The current version of "wireless" charging is a joke. Having to put my phone on a mat that is wired to a wall is not wireless IMO. Now, if I walked in to my house and my phone started charging without interaction from me, that would be wireless.
 
look at all that RF ?

I'd hate to be the WHO (no, not the singer), right now just comming out with a "oh ya, and FYI, beware of radiation."
 
As long as the charging wavelengths are not at ionizing frequencies (the ones strong enough to move electrons from the shells of atoms), you're good.

http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/...k/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet

Apple's approach focuses on magnetism (Near Field Magnetic Resonance) being the transmission method. Unless you think the earths magnetic field is giving people cancer, I wouldn't be concerned about it.

I agree with you on the hiring, you're right.
But it's weird to compare natural Earth magnetic field to artifical ones.
 
While these engineers are no doubt talented, the project they've been working on has little to do with any viable wireless charging technology that hasn't already been commercialized using RF. No doubt there's room for improvement, but you will never have a wireless charging solution that works out of near-field (that is in virtual contact with the device). At least not one you would want to be near (and I'm talking heating issues – this has nothing to do with ionizing radiation).

Ultrasonic is ridiculous for reasons already stated in critical articles (and from one of the engineers): you'd either end up injured, burned, or both if enough energy to be useful were sent through air.

I'm surprised Apple would associate themselves with uBeam in any manner. That's unfortunate for the engineers who got themselves involved (and didn't leave early enough).
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http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/...k/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet



I agree with you on the hiring, you're right.
But it's weird to compare natural Earth magnetic field to artifical ones.
Apple's approach focuses on magnetism (Near Field Magnetic Resonance) being the transmission method. Unless you think the earths magnetic field is giving people cancer, I wouldn't be concerned about it.

I also don't think it's surprising that Apple hired these guys. It seems that UBeam's approach used beam forming, which is applicable in both wifi and power transmission. Just because UBeams specific implementation doesn't work, doesn't mean the beam forming expertise won't be useful in Apple specific implementation.

I wouldn't say that a low level data analyst working at Enron back in the day has no use to another business because the company they worked for was full of ****, why should it apply here?

Magnetism obeys the inverse square law (or worse inverse cubed), so it suffers the same issues as the RF currently used for wireless charging. Beam forming helps, but to get any useful energy transferred to a device for charging would require levels of power at the transmitting end that would be a problem.
 
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I really don't understand why everyone gets all excited about this. How difficult is it to plug in a cable?! The complexity and risks involved in wireless charging just don't add up to the perceived benefits, IMO.

Try charging 5 Apple devices every night and you might begin to see the benefits of wireless charging. No more white cables everywhere.
 
The Watch charges wirelessly - the current is sent over the magnetic field I believe. Not sure about MagSafe in the MacBooks.

Just not mid/long range wireless.

The pads and things competitors have are interesting because you can just place your phone down and it starts charging, but they aren't a great deal better than plugging your phone in.

My co-worker has one of these... they are actually a great deal better than plugging your phone in.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60280682/
 
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Apple needs to buy out Energous Corp.(WATT) before Sammy or Softy gets them.



As rumors swirl around Apple's potential integration of wireless charging in future iPhone models, The Verge discovered the company has recently hired a pair of engineers with specialties focused in wireless charging and ultrasonic technology. Those two hires came in the past four months, but they are part of a larger group of more than a dozen wireless charging hires over the past two years.

ubeam_graphic.jpg

The two latest hires, Jonathan Bolus and Andrew Joyce, come from startup uBeam, which is working on a wireless charging technique centered around the harnessing of ultrasonic waves that are converted into electricity to charge an electronic device. Questions about the viability of uBeam's technology have been around for a while, and former VP of Engineering at uBeam, Paul Reynolds, has been highlighting the company's errors and potential for failure on his personal blog. The most recent post centers around the mishandled and controversial PR battle faced by blood test startup Theranos, and the suggested implications similarly affecting uBeam.Given the ongoing controversy over the viability of uBeam's proposed technology, it is perhaps unsurprising some of its engineers are looking at other job opportunities, and Apple's interest in wireless charging makes the company a natural fit.

Apple has filed various patents relating to wireless charging in the past, but remains quiet on its implementation in a future iPhone. Apple executives have downplayed the significance and usefulness of wireless charging before, mainly due to the necessity of users needing some kind of mat to lay the iPhone on, which would still need to be plugged into a wall.

A possible solution for that problem came from a Bloomberg report earlier in the year, which said Apple was pursuing an extended range wireless charging technique that would negate the need of a separate charging mat and fuel up an iPhone from across a room with no extraneous accessories required. Apple never commented on the report, but speculation suggested Apple could be working with Energous Corporation on the technology.

uBeam's promise for wireless charging is similar to Apple's alleged goal of a free range, totally wireless charging ability for iPhone devices, so the two new hires could be helping the company introduce such a feature into a new model down the line. Reports early in the year pointed to the introduction of wireless charging in this year's iPhone 7, but it's largely expected now for the feature to be held off until 2017 or even later.

Article Link: Apple Hires Pair of Engineers From Wireless Charging Startup uBeam
This is promising
 
uBeam... hmm

{sniff} Kinda smells like {sniff, sniff}... like {sniff)... like GT Advance :eek: I could be wrong through.

More importantly, I have concerns about the affects of extended wireless charging on other electronics in the charging zone. May be nothing, but I have yet to see an info addressing the issue.
No worries, tons of AM is passing around you right now with no ill effects. Back in very early 1900's AM powered crystal (diode) radios would capture enough power directly from the AM signal to power headphones. Seems like a couple of current geniuses could adopt similar tech to power electronic devices.

PS. If this is my last post, the 'man' has gotten to me.
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I really don't understand why everyone gets all excited about this. How difficult is it to plug in a cable?! The complexity and risks involved in wireless charging just don't add up to the perceived benefits, IMO.
As the tech grows, we could power an electric car as it drives across a continent. We could power everything from remote power stations placed in out of way places.

The benefits are certainly worth the effort.

Tesla probably had this all figured out a hundred years ago. Unfortunately his boss, Edison, pretty much dominated the conversation. He certainly took advantage of his position and power to hold Tesla back.
 
No worries, tons of AM is passing around you right now with no ill effects. Back in very early 1900's AM powered crystal (diode) radios would capture enough power directly from the AM signal to power headphones. Seems like a couple of current geniuses could adopt similar tech to power electronic devices.

PS. If this is my last post, the 'man' has gotten to me.
Crystal radio. That's what the Ukrainian guys at XE are using for the foundation of their version of extended range wireless charging. From what I've found, there are a number of groups exploring this issue from a number of different angles. Hopefully, one of them hits on something and creates a universal standard and not something proprietary.
 
It's amazing how many believe to be an expert in everything, just by googling stuff up. Many have studied for years to get recognition in their field, yet that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Clearly nobody knows what wireless charging will actually be like (spec's wise and characteristics). So what are the main assumptions of your argument? thin air ??

Up to this date, scientist are not unanimous about the risks of frequent exposure to radiofrequency energy (smartphones, wifi, etc.). Such as asbestos, signs of health issues / complications might only be visible after multiple years (decades) of exposure (fyi exposure to asbestos leaves you with cancer).

Its really surprising how far people go to defend ones ideology. Instead of defending a company based on NO information or whatsoever (the product is yet to be designed), it might be wise to be a little bit skeptical / critical once in a while.

FYI Apple Inc. is a COMPANY. Its sole existence is to please its shareholders.
 
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