It appears that tech giant Apple has found a solution to the problem of your Apple device running out of battery when you are on the move. A patent filed at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by Apple describes a way for two Apple devices, such as an iPhone and an iPad, to wirelessly charge each other using “inductive charging between electronic devices.”
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Theoretically, this would help Apple users bypass the inconvenience of finding a charging port or wait for a turn to charge the device.
The patent actually involves a wireless inductive coil that will pass current bi-directionally, meaning future iPhone models could be charged with an iPad or a MacBook, if Apple intends to make its patent a reality. According to the image provided in Apple’s patent, an iPhone could be placed in the center of an iPad’s display to be re-charged, with the iPhone’s rear charging coil facing the iPad’s screen.
First spotted by AppleInsider, the patent application was filed on March 19, and is a continuation of earlier patent application from June 2015 and September 2014.
“A portable electronic device comprising: a main body including a plurality of keys exposed on a top side of the main body; and a display case attached to the main body and including a display, the display case movable between a closed position in which the display case overlies the main body and an open position in which the display case is angled away from the main body; a first inductive coil disposed within the main body underneath a first region of a top side of the main body positioned laterally away from the plurality of keys, the first inductive coil configured to provide inductive power to, or receive inductive power from, an external electronic device through the first region of the top side of the main body; and a battery electrically coupled to the first inductive coil,” the application reads.
According to the AppleInsider report, if Apple wants to incorporate the new charging feature, it will have to change the coils to enable them to switch between transmitting and receiving mode. This essentially means Apple would have to change the hardware since the current generation of iPhone models can only receive power. Another method could be to use multiple coils, where one set receives power and the other transmits power.
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So far, there has been no word on the new charging method from Apple. So, it remains to be seen if the company will incorporate such a technology at all. However, shared wireless charging feature on future Apple devices could make Apple devices even more popular.
