Apple joins Wireless Power Consortium ahead of iPhone 8

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iPhone wireless charging
More evidence that wireless charging is on its way.
Photo: Ivo Marić and Tomislav Rastovac

Apple has been added to the Wireless Power Consortium, a group dedicated to developing and promoting mass-market adoption of the wireless charging interface standard Qi.

The addition of Apple to the group, currently consisting of 213 members, is the latest piece of evidence that the company will adopt wireless charging for this year’s iPhone refresh.

Wireless
That name wasn’t there previously.
Photo: Wireless Power Cosortium

This would also seem to suggest that Apple will adopt the standard Qi wireless technology, as opposed to inventing its own charging pad-free alternative, as has been heavily rumored.

Wireless charging has long been discussed as an innovation Apple may want to get involved with, with rival companies like Samsung mocking the iPhone for lagging behind on the technology.

The latest wireless charging rumor for the next-gen handsets os that the technology will feature as part of three new iPhones Apple will launch this year. This technology is said to be the reason Apple is switching to glass casing as part of the new design, as well as causing the addition of an extra graphite layer that will have to be added to stop the technology overheating the iPhone.

For more on what we’re expecting to see from the new iPhone, check out our mockup video here.

Does the introduction of wireless charging help sell you on the next iPhone? Leave your comments below.

Source: Wireless Power Consortium

Via: 9to5Mac

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