Roger Fingas
Only one of this fall's upcoming iPhone models — the so-called "iPhone 8" or "iPhone X" — will offer inductive charging and a glass back, but buyers will have to use a separate accessory to juice up wirelessly, a report said on Saturday.
The accessory could be based on technology by Luxshare, a Chinese company previously thought to be supplying coils for the wireless charger bundled with the Apple Watch, according to Japan's Mac Otakara. The site's claims may imply that Apple is depending on contact-based wireless charging, rather than exploring "long-distance" options like Energous and Dialog Semiconductor.
Apple is also said to be abandoning bundled Lightning-to-3.5mm adapters with future iPhones. It included one with the iPhone 7, hoping to stem a backlash from people who rely on 3.5mm-based audio accessories — the phone otherwise depends on Lightning and Bluetooth.
At the same time, the company isn't expected to include a Lightning-to-USB-C cable by default, despite USB-C ports being standard on the MacBook and MacBook Pro. Other Macs don't have built-in USB-C, and the standard is still rare on Windows PCs.
The accuracy of the Mac Otakara rumor is questionable, especially as the site suggests that anticipated 4.7- and 5.5-inch models won't have wireless charging or glass backs, while the "iPhone 8" will have a 5-inch display. These points conflict with other recent reports, which have said for instance that the "X" will sport a 5.8-inch OLED panel, or at least a 5.1- to 5.2 inch one.
Mac Otakara has at least occasionally proven accurate, having successfully predicted some iPhone 7 features like the removal of the headphone jack.
The "iPhone X" could prove to be too expensive for many phone shoppers, with a rumored price tag ">over $1,000. It may be intended as a special 10th-anniversary device however, especially given low OLED capacity in the supply chain.
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40 Comments
Anyone expecting long range wireless charging in 2017 in a popular consumer smartphone is smoking lots of the good stuff. A firm believer that Energous is leaking misleading claims to be supplying the next iPhone for a stock fiddle (as other companies did in the past—fuel cell in your iPhone anyone?). The technology for such tech in a smartphone in an affordable, seamless, reliable, miniaturised fashion is nowhere near ready for prime time at this point. 2020 at a minimum. But likely 2023+ before we see genuine long-range wireless charging with WiFi—range.
And we can hope—not proprietary. I'd love to see Apple, Google, Intel and others form a consortium to build an open safe standard for wireless power. Even if it means it slows down the the introduction by a few years. This needs to be done right and it needs to be open. This is where the existence of a stock market fucks mankind. For the short term profit of a handful of shareholders the world suffers utter complexity and needless confusion.
On another front I expect our famed "well connected analyst" to be called out when he's once again wrong about iPhone 7s, 7s plus and 8 getting wireless charging. We may not even see a 7s. And why would a 7s get a glass back anyway?
Please no "Android style" wireless charging. It's about 7 years too late and still makes no sense.
The way these rumors keep conflicting with regards to the wireless charging and the varying screen sizes for the OLED display are making me think we are going to see multiple models this year. Kuo was saying wireless charging on all models and him and others have said OLED display sizes of 5 or 5.8. I'm really beginning to think and wouldn't surprise me with Apple now that we get 4 new iPhone models this year. 7s & 7s Plus and iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus at prob $100 higher starting prices. The regular iPhone 8 w/OLED at 5" and iPhone 8 Plus w/OLED at 5.8. It would keep the sizes .8 apart from each other like we have now with 4.7 & 5.5. There were rumors before the iPhone 7 release as well of an iPhone with a 5" display being prototyped. I also still believe Apple will release true wireless charging tech if they are going to sell it as an accessory. It may only work say within 3ft or so, but would just be the starting point. That is if they can pull in off this year its a 50/50 shot if it even comes this year. I do not think they will implement inductive charging at this point and sell an accessory for us to use it, its going to have to be the real wireless charging for them to sell that accessory I believe.
I am supportive of not including a headphone adapter in the next iPhone box. Everyone should have moved on by then, or already have a dongle. Including the dongle for the first year without a headphone port was the right thing to do. I haven't missed the headphone port for example, I just have my headphones with the dongle permanently on the end.
I am surprised at the rumour there will not be a USBC cable. It would definitely still need the old USB. But Apple really should supply both if it really wants to push USBC. Even if the buyer doesn't currently have USBC, it would be worth the marketing value alone as the message would be there for the future.
I support the new MBP only having USBC, but Apple should have included a nice little white case with a few useful dongles inside, with 'transition pack' in a large, friendly looking font on the outside. Again the marketing value would have been worth the cost."here at Apple we want to set you up for a better future, and here are some dongles to help you as you gradually transition" in small print underneath. It would have demonstrated that Apple was forward looking, eager to help people with their transition. Apple prides itself on the liberal arts/engineering interface does it not? Or is that too transgressive for Tim Cook?
As for the wireless charging rumour, if it isn't remote/at a distance/magical and instead requires a stand or a pad, it would be just plain embarrassing. Apple would deserve every lump of the ridicule it would get.