Neil Hughes
At launch, the iPhone 8 will recharge via inductive wireless technology at a rate comparable to the standard 5-watt charger that ships with the handset. But Apple plans to improve that speed with a future software update.
Apple's plans were revealed Tuesday by Jim Dalrymple of The Loop in this iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review. Without getting into specifics, Dalrymple said that the iPhone 8 units will see a slight increase in wireless charging capacity later this year.
According to him, the iPhone 8 currently charges at a rate equal to the 5-watt wall adapter in the box. Apple-recommended third-party charging pads from Belkin and Mophie available at launch work at a higher 7.5-watt rate.
It's unclear whether Apple will bump up from 5 watts to 7.5 watts, or potentially more. Wireless inductive charging in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X is based on the Wireless Power Consortium's Qi standard, which supports 15-watt "fast" charging with its 1.2.x specification.
Rumors have suggested Apple's iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X will top off with 7.5-watt charging. But with the news that a firmware update can and will boost charging speeds later this year, it's unknown whether Qi 1.2.x 15-watt charging is a possibility.
Apple won't offer its own wireless charging pad at launch, but plans to enter the fray next year with AirPower, a proprietary modification of Qi that will support Apple Watch Series 3 and new AirPods case charging. Pricing and launch date for AirPower remain unknown, though AppleInsider's sources have indicated the product is likely to launch in the first quarter of 2018.
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10 Comments
If I had to guess I would say that the update will bring it to 7.5-watt charging. I'm highly skeptical of "fast" charging of both the wired and wireless variety, and I like the fact that Apple has been very cautious and hesitant with it. In all cases, it is done with optional accessories only, which I feel is absolutely appropriate. And when it comes to the "latest" Qi standard, Apple will likely again remain cautious. These are the first iPhones to support Qi, and the first iPhone to be given Apple's blessing to seemingly charge with anything that claims to be Qi-compatible. That is a huge risk on their part, one they've obviously spent years weighing. Very different world from saying "Use MFI-certified devices only".
Yeah guessing 7.5 as well. There is an important distinction to be made between technology idealism (“15 watt charging spec!”) and real world pragmatism. As a software engineer and manager who has launched physical products before, I’ve seen this divergence. Sometimes you just gotta be more practical than idealist. Real world constraints, tradeoffs, etc...
This one feature makes me want to upgrade my SE, my Series 0 AppleWatch, buy a new case for my AirPods and buy the PowerPad when it comes out.I have the Apple watch white Pad and love just laying my watch down instead of fiddling with cables and stands to charge my iPhone, iPad and AirPods.Sounds like a small thing, but it's really convenient. I'd probably have 2 PowerPads, one for my desk at work and one on my night stand.
Best.
Personally I'm not really all that enthused about wireless charging at home. I figure as long as I can raise a fork to my mouth I can handle plugging in my devices, it's really not much of an inconvenience at all. However, I am excited about the idea of wireless charging built into tables at restaurants, coffee houses, libraries, etc. That would be very convenient to me.