Apple steps up wireless charging efforts with new acquisition

By

AirPower
Apple is stepping up its focus on wireless charging.
Photo: Apple

Apple has acquired New Zealand-based wireless charging systems company PowerbyProxi, the company has confirmed.

Although no financial details of the deal have been revealed, Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, called the acquisition a “great addition as Apple works to create a wireless future.”

PowerbyProxi was founded in 2007 with the goal of developing technology that lets users charge their mobile devices without having to plug them in. Among its most notable products is modular wireless power system Proxi-Module. The company employs around 55 staff and holds more than 300 patents relating to wireless charging.

Apple has said that PowerbyProxi will remain located in Auckland, New Zealand, although we guess there’s the possibility that employees of the company could wind up in Cupertino in the near future.

Apple’s wireless charging ambitions

Although other rival smartphone makers like Samsung have been using wireless charging for years, Apple only introduced it this year with the new iPhone handsets.

Originally, many analysts and Apple watchers were expecting Apple to use a special wireless charging technology that would use 5GHz radio frequency signals, coupled with beam-forming, to delivery completely wireless charging, without the need for special pads. However, for whatever reason, this didn’t happen and Apple confirmed that it would adopt the Qi wireless charging standard when the company joined the Wireless Power Consortium, the group behind Qi technology earlier in 2017.

In 2018, Apple will introduce its own wireless Qi charging pad, although no pricing or exact release date has yet been announced. Unlike other wireless charging solutions, Apple’s AirPower tech can charge your iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and AirPods all on the same spot. For more on wireless charging and its various pros and cons, check out our handy guide here.

Source: Stuff.co.nz

 

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.