Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Inductive charging on new iPhone?
- Thread starter lancastor
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Would be great; hopefully the same system used in iPad and iPod and Magic Mouse ... But it will remain a dream or 3rd party solution.
I fail to see the benefits really. You can't use the thing very easily when it's laid down on a charging pad. Is it really that much of an issue to plug in a cable? You can't get rid of the charging socket in the phone as there are times when inductive charging isn't convenient and it'll be needed for 3rd party accessories etc. So Apple will need more hardware inside, and more cost, for very little benefit.
The idea is that in a few years Qi chargers will be ubiquitous - in restaurants, airplanes, trains etc. Instead of needing the correct charger with you and finding an outlet you can just lay your phone down for a while as a "pit stop".
Only ever using the single charger you buy with the phone isn't too useful, it's true.
True, but as I say, you can't use your phone very easily when its laid down on a charging pad. I was in a coffee shop the other day and just plugged in the phone at a wall socket and could charge it while holding it and using it normally.
Many trains in the UK (nearly all long distance trains) have a power socket by each seating bay and so can charge your phone there. Problem with tech like this is that it needs upgrading all the time to avoid becoming obsolete. Virgin Trains in the UK spent lots of money installing at-seat music entertainment channels. No-one ever uses them now as they were superseded by MP3 players. The design lead-in time for train and aircraft builds is so long that by the time they have been introduced, the clever tech is often already out of date. Mid-life refurbishment takes years for each fleet and the power demands can require further upgrades to wiring etc
There are legions of Apple crazed users that have no clue, instead of working with facts... they make up erroneous stories to suit their competition bashing agendas.
As you see by the specs below the Lumia is a mere 1.4mm thicker.
130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm - Lumia 920
115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm - iPhone4S
I agree that some on this forum can get carried away, however all indications are that the 5 will be over 1mm thinner than the 4S and so the Lumia 920 will be about 20% thicker than Apple's new phone. That is quite a difference and for no real benefit. If it ever happens, it'll be when the tech has matured a bit - same as with LTE
What exactly did I say that was erroneous? 1.4mm is not insignificant in this context.
So charging is going to stay the way it is now for all eternity? I imagine there is much innovation to be done in the charging of mobile devices area. Imagine being able to charge using solar power and never having to worry about plugging it in, it can be done with some R&D.
I think Apple will wait until the tech has matured and it actually gives a benefit - at the moment its just more to cram into a very small space - they're trying to reduce internal volume and so this wouldn't be a priority unless it meant that they could get rid of the connector port - which is unlikely at the moment.
It could also be said there's no distinct benefit in any phone thinner than 9 mm.
But then again both Apple & it's many zealots are ego driven, vain, style conscious users that put form over function. Thus limiting the upcoming iPhone to it's pitifully tiny, elongated display.
personally, if they use magsafe I will be really happy. The new mac charger actually stays connected b.c the magnet is strong enough
I wonder if inductive charging worsen or not energy saving from an ecological point of view : do you spill electricity by charging this way or not ?
I believe that the benefits of inductive charging as well as having a conventional wired setup, would be a great combination. The best of both.
When at my office I leave my phone on the desk top. Laying on a charging pad, gives one the convenience of picking up the phone, using it while walking about & returning it fast & easily when done with your call.
Besides the naysayers would do their well practiced about face, and proclaim how genius Apple is for being the first to market with it.
Hypocrisy reigns supreme in AppleLand
When at my office I leave my phone on the desk top. Laying on a charging pad, gives one the convenience of picking up the phone, using it while walking about & returning it fast & easily when done with your call.
Besides the naysayers would do their well practiced about face, and proclaim how genius Apple is for being the first to market with it.
Hypocrisy reigns supreme in AppleLand
I believe that the benefits of inductive charging as well as having a conventional wired setup, would be a great combination. The best of both.
When at my office I leave my phone on the desk top. Laying on a charging pad, gives one the convenience of picking up the phone, using it while walking about & returning it fast & easily when done with your call.
Besides the naysayers would do their well practiced about face, and proclaim how genius Apple is for being the first to market with it.
Hypocrisy reigns supreme in AppleLand
reminds me of those charging pads that came out a few years ago, but the pads had to be plugged in and you had to put a case on the phone....really defeated the purpose. If you could just lay it on the pad without a case, that would be nice.
Yes indeed.
Apple has a brilliant engineering department that could easily build in what's needed to use inductive charging immediately. It must not be perceived as a worthwhile move for them. Most likely due to profit.
Unfortunately Apple has placed massive profits above building the best products they can. That's not to say profit is not important, but Apples so good, they could really blow away the competition with even more exciting innovative products, while _still_ maintaining very impressive profits.
In turn their ability to compete in the market place would be strengthened to heights no other manufacturer could match.
Finally, their market domination being bolstered to greater heights, they could stop their revenge driven legal assaults and get back to being the class act they once were.
Yet it's apparent Apple has become addicted to chest pounding street fighting. A reflection of the insecure vindictive side of their prior leader.
I really loved inductive charging on my old palm pre. It was great. I love what Nokia is doing too. But I have a suspicion apple might be working on something more "Apple" like wireless charging without induction. Just have your phone within a 1 meter proximity of a base station and it will charge. I could see the imac having a built in base station to keep the mouse and keyboard always charged so they never needed new batteries. Put your new iPhone, iPad, or iPods near it and they charge too.
I think the charging process might be painfully slow however and apple may decide its not worth it.
I think the charging process might be painfully slow however and apple may decide its not worth it.
I believe that the benefits of inductive charging as well as having a conventional wired setup, would be a great combination. The best of both.
When at my office I leave my phone on the desk top. Laying on a charging pad, gives one the convenience of picking up the phone, using it while walking about & returning it fast & easily when done with your call.
Besides the naysayers would do their well practiced about face, and proclaim how genius Apple is for being the first to market with it.
Hypocrisy reigns supreme in AppleLand
Laying it on the pad to charge and picking it up all the time to use it cannot be good for the battery at all.