Apple, which has already pioneered MagSafe battery pack that supports reverse charging, is now upping the ante with a new technology that allows for charging through the front display.
Basically, to charge a, say, AirPods Pro, you just need to place it on an iPhone or iPad screen. Voila, the job is done. Hitherto reverse charging meant putting the iPad or iPhone face down on a surface and then placing the other device on the back for charging. Now the top can remain at the top, as it were. But charging will happen.
Apple, which calls it “Through-Display Wireless Charging” has published a patent for the same.
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A hidden wireless charger apparently sits under the display in proposed design from Apple. According to the folks at PatentlyApple, who as ever was the first to spot the patent, as of now the new technology is limited to charging "accessories" --- Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Pencil --- through personal electronic devices --- iPad, iPhone.
The screen of the device can be configured to provide charging, going by the various illustrations that accompany the report. The device may include one or more locating assemblies, such as magnets, configured to secure the accessories in the predetermined location.
The screen-as-the-charger technology is seen to be better than the reverse charging from the back of the device as the iPhone or iPad need not be put face down. For, placing a device screen upside down is not happy prospect. Not only there is a risk of screen being damaged, but also you can’t see what’s happening on the device’s display.
But the new technology is not without wrinkles. Only one part of the screen will be functional while another part of it will be used for charging. What will be displayed in the charging area when an accessory is being charged is not known as yet.
Also, all the accessories that need to be charged have to support wireless charging.
Anyway, the question to ask is: Will this technology be part of the iPhone 14 or the next iPad? It’s possible, but with Apple patents, you never know for sure.
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