FYI: also Nokia 😉 Actually, Nokia has started incorporating Qi receivers into their devices than any Android manufacturer - starting with the 920 in Sept/2012.
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CES 2014: WiTricity Announces New Wireless Charging System Design for iPhone 5/5s
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FYI: also Nokia 😉 Actually, Nokia has started incorporating Qi receivers into their devices than any Android manufacturer - starting with the 920 in Sept/2012.
SteveLV702
macrumors 6502
pgiguere1
macrumors 68020
No, it didn't.
What your Nexus 4 did was inductive charging, which WiTricity is not.
WiTricity is resonant electromagnetic charging, which allows charging from a greater distance (and with any orientation) compared to inductive charging.
Current implementations with a small form factor aren't really efficient yet, but we could eventually see that tech be used to say, charge your phone while it's in your pocket as you enter a room. This would have a significant impact on how people charge their device as opposed to inductive charging, which isn't all that different from an old-fashioned dock in terms of usage.
You can see a relatively old demo here (skip to 8:30 for smartphone demos), which shows the potential the tech when using bigger coils. Hopefully we'll see that level of performance in smaller form factors soon.
Yeah......!!!!
And instead of solving it with 802.11, they should've made special "wireless" internet stations that you could purchase individually & place all over your house- that way, as long as you didn't mind placing your laptop precisely on the pad, instead of you know.... in your lap, you could use the internet "wirelessly"!
I (just like you!) can't see this posters point at all .
/s
Not even comparable. If "wireless internet" meant my laptop had to be in a bulky case and be sitting on a special pad that was connected to my router for it to work, and the second I lifted my laptop from said pad, I was disconnected from the internet, I wouldn't even bother with it and would just plug the LAN cable into my laptop.
Wireless charging is useless until it works more than half a centimeter from the base station.
How about you people read the article. This isn't induction charging, like what you'd find on an Android. This tech is true wireless charging. Less efficient? Well, Wi-Fi is less efficient too, and I don't see anyone complaining. This tech is more similar to Wi-Fi than it is to induction charging in practice.
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Well it wouldn't be exactly healthy to have electro-magnetic fields so strong that charging could work anywhere inside a house.
TrentS
macrumors 6502
Sweet!!
This is very cool! This will be another progressive step to where you can finally walk around with your devices everywhere, and get a wifi signal AND be charging your device at the same time! How cool would that be!? Never having to plug your device in for charging ever again ( until the battery fails, that is )!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
This is very cool! This will be another progressive step to where you can finally walk around with your devices everywhere, and get a wifi signal AND be charging your device at the same time! How cool would that be!? Never having to plug your device in for charging ever again ( until the battery fails, that is )!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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the video shows the concept that anyone could understand even without watching it
but it doesn't show: how thick and heavy it will be
but it doesn't show: how thick and heavy it will be
Wireless?
I don't get it! If it's wireless, from where does the charging base get its power? If it needs a wire to get power (which is not shown in the photo), why not just plug in your phone and save the cost, space, and inefficiency of this ugly charger? Where's the significant benefit? I certainly don't need more crap on my desk.
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I'm sure it will, but I would guess the efficiency would drop inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
I don't get it! If it's wireless, from where does the charging base get its power? If it needs a wire to get power (which is not shown in the photo), why not just plug in your phone and save the cost, space, and inefficiency of this ugly charger? Where's the significant benefit? I certainly don't need more crap on my desk.
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I'm sure it will, but I would guess the efficiency would drop inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
IlluminatedSage
macrumors 68000
agreed. and it is sad that apple will not add a 50 cent modification to their battery internally to do this.
they could do it an sell system to charge.
Though, users beware, studies are going to show that if people stand close to the power charges, it will likely cause cancer, ie standing in front of a microwave oven.
this stuff has got to be unhealthy
If Apple could implement something like this into the device without requiring I case, it would be single handedly the biggest gamechanger. It would be far more 'useful' than a faster CPU/GPU, bigger screen, e.g.
It appears most people here don't understand what this is.
This is NOT inductive charging. Inductive charging requires near contact between the charger and the device to be charged.
This technology allows for MUCH more distance, several inches at the moment and possibly further distances in the future.
Now, they even mentioned this in the article, but imagine this. You buy an Imac. It comes with a wireless keyboard and wireless magic mouse. The keyboard and mouse DO NOT NEED BATTERIES they simply just work when they are on the same desk as the Imac. Right now users are having to swap batteries in their wireless accessories, with this technology (when more mature) they simply wouldn't, they would NEVER have to think about batteries in these accessories again.
The other benefit, you have an Imac at home. You SET YOUR IPHONE ON YOUR DESK and it charges. Magically!
This is NOT inductive charging. Inductive charging requires near contact between the charger and the device to be charged.
This technology allows for MUCH more distance, several inches at the moment and possibly further distances in the future.
Now, they even mentioned this in the article, but imagine this. You buy an Imac. It comes with a wireless keyboard and wireless magic mouse. The keyboard and mouse DO NOT NEED BATTERIES they simply just work when they are on the same desk as the Imac. Right now users are having to swap batteries in their wireless accessories, with this technology (when more mature) they simply wouldn't, they would NEVER have to think about batteries in these accessories again.
The other benefit, you have an Imac at home. You SET YOUR IPHONE ON YOUR DESK and it charges. Magically!
Exactly my thoughts. While we are here browsing forums and complaining about case design, few people are working on developing something new. We need to appreciate these guys for their efforts. Nothing is perfect in initial prototypes. Check out the cars, airplanes of bygone era. Designs evolve.
ksnell
macrumors 6502a
Doubters
Alright, when this innovation really makes a breakthrough and everyone is using the technology in 5 years, all the doubters here will be required to use cables.
"It's not difficult to plug in a cable" sounds an awful lot like "640K ought to be enough for anybody!" to me.
Alright, when this innovation really makes a breakthrough and everyone is using the technology in 5 years, all the doubters here will be required to use cables.
"It's not difficult to plug in a cable" sounds an awful lot like "640K ought to be enough for anybody!" to me.
Parasprite
macrumors 68000
I know this was sarcasm, but I guarantee that if wifi had a limit of 5 feet distance it wouldn't have been adopted nearly as quickly.
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Now this seems more exciting than trying to slowly charge an iPad on a third party accessory!
Rajani Isa
macrumors 65816
Convenience/room. I don't want a dock on my desk. I do set my phone down on my desk in the same spot - which just so happens to have nothing underneath it. I could attach the charger to the underside of my desk, and have it work through the desk.
Powermat and other inductive chargers won't do that.
We wouldn't have to use a microwave oven. Jut put your food on a plate and wait a few minutes for it to heat up and eat.
I'd be very surprised if this tech doesn't take off. It's an obvious improvement over wired charging, and it'll obviously get better. Plop your laptop down in Starbucks, and leave your cable at home. 'Nuff said.
jm001
macrumors 6502a
It's not that much different from using a mat. It's just that the "mat" is under the table... and, ok, as long as it's in close proximity. It would be great if they come up with one that charges just by being in the room. No needing to be put down on a surface, with the ability to use the device while it's charging. That would be cool.
Why? The earth's magnetic field is stronger. I take it you don't understand how this tech works.