Apple is expected to introduce wireless charging to the next iPhone at its September 12 event— but the feature might not be as impressive as we originally thought, at least to start.
The iPhone’s wireless charging capability will be less powerful than other phones that currently offer the same feature, according to a new report Japanese site Macotakara that was first spotted by 9to5Mac.
Apple has long been expected to use the Qi wireless charging standard since it joined the Wireless Power Consortium earlier this year, but this new report from Macotakara claims the next-generation iPhones won’t take advantage of the fastest inductive charging tech available.
Instead, Apple will use a slower charging profile at 7.5 watts, which 9to5Mac notes will only be able to power up the phones at about half the speed of the most recent Qi 1.2 standard of 15 watts. The report, which cites an unnamed source, also claims that only new charging pads built specifically for Apple products will be compatible with the iPhones.
Only third-party chargers that are certified by Apple’s MFi licensing program will work with the new wirelessly charging iPhones. This allows Apple to maintain control over the accessories market. The company has a similar setup with chargers for the Apple Watch, so it’s not a complete surprise it would do the same for the iPhone.
RAVpower, a company that makes inductive charging pads, told Mashable last week about its own wireless charging plans for the new line of iPhones. The company had already started mass producing its charging pads, which it says will offer 10 watts of output charge, more than the 7.5 watts mentioned by the new reports.
The wireless charging feature has been the subject to an onslaught of recent leaks, including two sets of images that purportedly showed internal components for the iPhones and charging pads themselves.
There’s more noise than ever about wireless charging, and luckily we might not have to wait for too long before we find out what’s really coming in the new iPhones. Apple will reportedlyhost an event to unveil the phones, along with a new Apple Watch and 4K Apple TV in about two weeks.
