Apple is testing a wireless charging system together with Energous, an American company specialized in such systems dedicated to electronic products. The information is as official as possible and comes from a document submitted by Energous to the American authorities, where the collaboration with Apple is mentioned.
Unlike the wireless charging technologies currently implemented in smartphones or smartwatches, Energous WattUp is capable of charging even at a distance. Practically, Energous WattUp can charge mobile terminals wirelessly even if they are at a maximum distance of 5 meters from the energy source, so they do not need to be placed on a charging pad.
Energous has developed a technology that involves the use of a transmitter and a receiver for the energy to reach the battery of the remote terminal. Apple knows that this is the future of wireless charging, so it invests in the development of a product with such technology instead of one with charging by placing it on a charging pad.
Apple has been collaborating with Energous for more than a year, and now everything has become official, even though the company refused to acknowledge the collaboration with Apple to the press. Considering the long period of collaboration, but also the fact that the iPhone 7 does not have wireless charging, there are good chances that this system will reach the iPhone during 2017.
"We expect that our products and/or the reference designs will undergo UL/CE as well as FCC Part 15, FCC Part 18, SAR, California Energy Star and Apple compliance testing. WattUp RF-based charging can be integrated to provide wire-free charging to a wide variety of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, wearables, cameras, wireless keyboards and mice, headsets, sensors, LED lights, remote controls and toys..."
So far we have heard various rumors suggesting that we will see a wireless charging technology in the iPhone, but this has not yet been implemented. Today's information puts even more "straws on the fire" for wireless charging in the iPhone, so it remains to be seen when Apple will offer it.
