Wireless charging is the iPhone's future, if Apple's patent filings are to be believed

By Ed Oswald Published September 10, 2016

More evidence that Apple might be soon ready to debut wireless charging surfaced this past week with the discovery of new patent filing on technologies related to inductive charging. The filing — first discovered by Patently Apple — is primarily on brushing and polishing techniques for cylindrical and contoured metal surfaces, however in describing usage cases, Apple curiously brings up inductive charging.

Whether or not Apple is going wireless when it comes to charging has been a subject of debate for at least the past five years. Patently Apple first discovered patents for wireless charging back in 2012, but marketing chief Phil Schiller in September of that year downplayed any rumors telling AllThingsD that the company believes it isn’t clear how much convenience wireless charging adds.

Recommended Videos

Even with Schiller’s public comments, Apple watchers didn’t quite believe Apple was totally giving up on the idea, and since then additional patent applications have surfaced indicating the company is very much still working on some type of inductive charging system.

It appears that this new metal brushing/polishing technique is aimed at making the surface of the dock smooth enough to allow a good connection. In fact, a read of the patent itself (see claim #8) speaks specifically about tools to create a space for an inductive coil.

The illustrations in the patent suggest that what Apple’s proposing for a possible charging station isn’t exactly groundbreaking. You’d likely sit the device on top of the charging puck, and it could potentially be held there by some type of magnet to prevent it slipping off. The device itself would be connected to power via USB.

As for when (if ever) we’ll see the technology in a real iPhone or other iDevice, that’s not yet known. Some rumors of the iPhone 7 specs did suggest Apple was considering adding wireless charging, however no wireless charging was announced at launch. It is possible that Apple may be holding off on such a feature for the iPhone 8, which is largely expected to be a significant redesign, including an edge-to-edge OLED display and a glass body.

Former Contributor

For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…

Topics

Emerging Tech

Google just canceled its AI Studio mobile app, and it’s not all bad news

Google AI Studio was on track to make its way to Android and iPhone, giving developers and AI enthusiasts a dedicated place to build prompts and experiment with Google's latest models from their phones.

That's no longer happening. In a post shared by the official Google AI Studio account on X, Google confirmed that it's canceling the standalone AI Studio mobile app before launch. The announcement comes despite the company saying nearly 800,000 people had already pre-ordered the app across iOS and Android.

Phones

Apple may change its iPhone launch strategy, and the standard iPhone could be affected the most

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Apple's iPhone launches have followed the same familiar rhythm for years. Every September, Apple takes the wraps off its newest flagship lineup, and a few months later, a more affordable "e" model joins the party in the spring. It's a formula that's been easy to follow, but it may not stay that way for much longer.

Reports have been pointing toward a major shake-up starting with the iPhone 18 lineup, and we've covered those rumors over the past few months as well. Rather than unveiling every new iPhone at the same event, Apple is reportedly planning to split its releases across two seasons. If that happens, the standard iPhone could miss its usual September debut for the first time, marking one of the biggest changes to the company's launch strategy in years.

Phones

Google’s long-awaited AirTag rival just leaked ahead of launch under a familiar name

Electronics, Computer Hardware, Hardware

Google has spent the last few years expanding Android's Find Hub network, making it easier to track lost devices and accessories. But there's been one obvious piece missing from the puzzle: a first-party tracker of its own. That may finally be about to change.

According to a report from 9to5Google, Google's long-rumored Pixel Tag has finally broken cover. The accessory has appeared in multiple online listings, with the report also revealing what seems to be its first leaked image, offering an early look at Google's answer to Apple's AirTag and Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag.