Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8 promises to introduce a number of new technologies to the iPhone faithful. One of those is a mainstay of many Android handsets, namely wireless charging. But Apple’s implementation is going to be disappointing to those hoping for the accepted protocols to be accepted.
As I feared, Tim Cook and his team are expected to ‘lock’ the iPhone into using Apple’s own wireless charging units or charging units that adhere to the ‘Made for iPhone’ (MfI) program… which involves financial payments to Apple from the third-party manufacturers.
When Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium earlier this year there was a hope that it would adopt the industry standard Qi charging protocol. Reports from Macotakara this weekend suggest that the wireless charging used by Apple will run at just 7.5 watts, compared to the 15 watts which make up the Qi 1.2 standard. It also suggests that third-party charging pads will need to be licensed through the MfI program.
The upshot is that the plethora of charging pads and accessories currently on the market that is interchangeable with any device supporting the Qi standard will be unable to charge the new iPhones. Apple has decided not to work with the growing and accepted the standard, instead deciding to put up a technological wall between the charging community and the iPhone. To take one example, the increasing number of public ‘wireless charging’ spots from companies such as AirCharge will be incompatible with Cupertino’s latest device.
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