‘Apple wants to charge iPhone accessories via the screen in the future’
A new patent indicates that Apple wants to turn the screen of future iPhones and iPads into a wireless charger.
Read on after the ad.
iPhone screen becomes wireless charger
Wireless chargers are very convenient to charge different devices without using a cable. Some Android phones can charge accessories through the back. So you can use your smartphone as a wireless charger for other devices. Very handy if your earphones become empty while on the road, for example. Apple is working on a similar feature, which works slightly differently.
Instead of the back, Apple wants to turn the iPhone’s screen into a wireless charger. One section of the screen surface functions as a charging area, while the rest remains usable. Widgets may be placed there, such as a clock, notifications or the current battery content.
The patented function makes it possible, for example, to charge your AirPods on the go. The battery life of your iPhone logically suffers from this, because the power is literally moved from one battery to the other. Do you use an Apple Pencil with your iPad? Then you may also be able to charge it via the screen in the future.
Apple and pants
Apple often applies for new patents. It is therefore never clear whether the concept will actually be implemented. For example, the Cupertino company applied for a patent a while ago for an Apple Pencil that works without a touchscreen. This one has not seen the light of day at the time of writing.
That doesn’t mean patents are wild fantasies, though. After all, Apple is not applying for a patent for nothing. The manufacturer does investigate whether a patented technology has a chance of success.
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