One of the more interesting new iPhone 8 features Apple will likely introduce this September is wireless charging. Though not a new technology by any means, many are curious as to how Apple’s implementation might work. After all, Apple’s bread and butter doesn’t lie with inventing new technology, but rather with enhancing and improving upon existing technologies.
Over the past few months, we’ve seen a number of contradictory reports regarding Apple’s plans in the wireless charging space, altogether not surprising given that Apple may currently be testing any different number of implementations. Notably, Apple this month joined the Wireless Power Consortium, the organization behind the Qi wireless charging platform.
Most recently, reports surfaced indicating that Apple has been working with Broadcom on a wireless charging solution, a partnership that reportedly has been ongoing for nearly three years. Previous reports pointed to Apple adapting a solution from Energous, a wireless charging company whose technology was able to charge smartphones from a distance of up to 15 feet.
Underscoring Apple’s experimentation with different wireless charging solutions, Reuters, citing people familiar with Apple’s plans, reports that Apple currently has “at least five different groups working on wireless charging technology.”
While wireless charging in and of itself isn’t likely to push iPhone sales higher, it’s not exactly as if the iPhone 8 will need any help in the sales department. Said to feature a radical new redesign that will feature an edge to edge display and a TouchBar-esque ‘Function Area’ towards the bottom, the iPhone 8 will likely usher in the largest refresh cycle in iPhone history.
What’s more, Reuters relays an interesting data point from Cowen & Co analyst Timothy Arcuri who claims that the percentage of iPhone owners with devices more than two years old now stands at 40%, marking a new all-time record. In other words, the iPhone 8 won’t only attract iPhone 7 users, it will be just the device needed to convince iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s owners to finally upgrade as well.
