Wireless Charging

With the next generation iPhone just months away, details regarding Apple's flagship smartphone are coming into focus. Previous reports have pointed to a radical new design in the works, set to make a splash at this fall's 10th anniversary of the iPhone. Apple may skip the iPhone 8 name entirely, opting for another title such as the iPhone X for its top-tier model. Two additional models that could be dubbed the iPhone 7s are also expected to launch in September.

Wireless charging solutions can be handy, just drop a compatible device onto a charging pad and it will grab some juice. While these solutions eliminate the need for charger plugs and wires in everyday usage, a new patent awarded to Apple takes the concept one step further. Imagine a future MacBook that automatically powers a wireless Magic Mouse, or charges an iPhone anytime the device is placed nearby.

The technology is called wireless Near Field Magnetic Resonance (NFMR) power transmission. The patent awarded to Apple explains that normal batteries could be replaced by wireless power units, which would receive energy from a nearby transmission device. Transmission from a laptop or tablet would create a zone around the computer that could be used to power any peripherals equipped with these units.

Wireless charging is not a new concept, the Palm Pre introduced the Touchstone Charger in 2009, and Samsung announced a wireless charging kit along with its Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone earlier this year. Even though the Samsung wireless kit has been delayed, a similar Verizon-branded charging station has been spotted at Verizon stores.

According to the DigiTimes, chip maker Intel may be adopting "its self-developed wireless charging technology into Intel-based ultrabooks and smartphones in the second half of 2013". Since Apple uses Intel’s chips in its MacBooks, the company could potentially adopt this upcoming technology... But I wouldn't get my hopes up.