Apple is working with partners on long-distance wireless charging technology, according to a new rumour.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg have confirmed that the iPhone-maker is in the early stages of developing technology that can charge Apple devices from a distance, with plans to launch it as soon as next year.
Currently, all wireless charging standards (PMA and Qi) charge devices within a few millimeters and are typically lower-power than the standard physical connection.
One of the major barriers to long-distance wireless charging is efficiency of the power transfer, which becomes worse over longer distances and results in longer charging times. Apple is reportedly working on a fix to avoid this, which Bloomberg appears to suggest will be a deciding factor in whether or not the technology is commercialised.
Long-distance wireless charging isn’t a new concept. Other smaller companies are already making strides in this area, including: uBeam’s ultrasound wireless charger; and A4MP (which recently merged with PMA) that supports higher watts and (slightly) longer distance wireless charging.
But when Apple enters the game, the game changes. Not only does Apple have the resources to pour into overcoming technological barriers, it also has a sprawling and avid user-base that will immediately adopt it. Which may be bad news for the smaller wireless charging startups.
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There’s very little information on the specifics of the technology in Bloomberg’s report - we don’t know what distances will the charger cover or at what wattage. What is clear, however, is that this isn’t going to be an iPhone 7 addition.
It’s unlikely for a number of reasons, including the fact that Bloomberg’s source clearly stated it might launch next year. But the most obvious is that it doesn’t look like Apple has made decision on whether or not to go ahead with the technology at all. So don’t get too excited yet.
Battery tech, the last revolution
Other components of the smartphone have seen rapid technological improvements: the battery, however, is still outmoded.
Every year a new story pops up about a new, game-changing, battery innovation- which never seems to make it any further than concept. And there’s very little chance that’s going to change any time soon. Currently, we’re living in an age of battery technology workarounds: faster charging (even 1 minute charging), kinetic or sound charging, bigger batteries, more efficient software etc.
But the real issue is that the modern lithium-ion battery (the standard used in practically anything battery-operated) hasn’t changed very much in recent years. It still has a shelf-life of a particular amount of charging cycles, losing capacity with every charge.
There’s promise on the horizon in Graphene research and pure lithium anodes, but these are a way off yet. In the meantime, our smartphones will continue to jump forwards leaps and bounds whilst battery life lags behind.
