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Foxconn Testing Wireless Charging For iPhone 8 (trustedreviews.com)

One of the first big secrets regarding Apple's upcoming smartphone has been spilled. According to a report from Nikkei Asian Review, Foxconn, the firm responsible for assembling iPhones, is testing wireless charging modules for the iPhone 8. TrustedReviews reports: Citing 'an industry source familiar with the matter,' the report states the wireless charging feature could appear on the next Apple handset, but it depends whether the company can produce enough satisfactory units. The source told Nikkei: "Whether the feature can eventually make it into Apple's updated devices will depend on whether Foxconn can boost the yield rate to a satisfactory level later on." The yield rate refers to the 'number of satisfactory units in the production of a batch of components,' and if it's found to be too low, the wireless charging feature could be left out of the iPhone 8 according to the report. It's also claimed the wireless tech could make it into some versions of the iPhone 8 and not others. Nikkei is also reporting that Apple's next gen smartphones are expected to arrive in three different sizes -- 4.7-inch, 5-inch and 5.5-inch -- all of which will come with glass-backed bodies. The Next Web reports: "Nikkei further suggests out of the three new iPhones will be a premium model with a curved edge-to-edge OLED display; the other two models will likely have standard LCD displays. Here's what Nikkei's source said: "Apple has tentatively decided that all the 5.5-inch, 5-inch and 4.7-inch models will have glass backs, departing from metal casings adopted by current iPhones, and Biel and Lens are likely to be providing all the glass backs for the new iPhones next year.

11 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Yield problems? by thegarbz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would have thought the best tech company in the world (tm) would have no problem copying the many successful designs already on the market. Or maybe the yield that they are talking about is interoperability. Can't have a device accidentally get charged by any old generic charging station.

    1. Re:Yield problems? by Lumpy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      250ma/500ma from inductive charging is easy. it's when you ramp up to 1Amp where things get dangerous for consumers. you cant have some idiot user throw their keys on the thing and let it start a fire, so I am betting they are working with some NFC tech to make the phone talk to the charging plats so that it only starts charging if an iphone is on it, plus look at the load and turn off charging if some idiot threw teir phone and the keys on it.

      Everyone else's inductive charging is very low amperage, no way in hell I would want to charge a modern high battery capacity phone at 250ma, I dont have 12 hours for it to charge completely.

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    2. Re:Yield problems? by SoCalChris · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wireless charging is great. You can have a charger/stand on your desk, one on your nightstand, wherever you want. Just leave it there and your battery is always topped off when you go. You can pick it up and reply to messages without a cable getting caught on things. That was my biggest disappointment with the latest Nexus and Pixel phones, was that Google discontinued that feature. Hopefully if Apple puts it in and Samsung keeps it in their flagships, the next Pixel phones will have it as well.

    3. Re:Yield problems? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Other phones inductively charge at 1A, have done for years. LG and Samsung both sell phones capable of 1A wirelessly, although many chargers only deliver 750mA max. I have an official LG one and a Panasonic one that do 1A.

      My guess would be they are working on some kind of alignment system. Google used magnets for the Nexus line, LG and Samsung rely on the shape of the charger and my Panasonic has motors to move the coils.

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    4. Re:Yield problems? by Chris453 · · Score: 4, Informative

      You literally have no idea what you are talking about. I'm surprised someone with such a low ID is spouting such nonsense as fact. It doesn't take 12 hours to wirelessly charge.

      http://www.androidauthority.co...
      Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge battery size: 2600mAh, charging time on WIRED cable: 80 minutes 0-100%
      Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge battery size: 2600mAh, charging time on Samsung Wireless Qi: 160 minutes 0-100%

      http://bgr.com/2016/10/12/ipho...

      Just for comparison the iPhone 6s plus (2750mAh which is the closest to the above), it takes 168 minutes to charge 0-100%. So basically it takes roughly an equal amount of time to wirelessly charge an S6 Edge as it does to charge an iPhone 6s plus using the wired charger.

    5. Re:Yield problems? by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      250ma/500ma from inductive charging is easy. it's when you ramp up to 1Amp where things get dangerous for consumers. you cant have some idiot user throw their keys on the thing and let it start a fire, so I am betting they are working with some NFC tech to make the phone talk to the charging plats so that it only starts charging if an iphone is on it, plus look at the load and turn off charging if some idiot threw teir phone and the keys on it.

      Yeah didn't I say exactly that? Copying everyone else's design.

      Everyone else's inductive charging is very low amperage

      ooooh man are you going to be pissed when you get to 2016 and realise that Donald Trump is a presidential candidate. My only recommendation is stay in 2011 for as long as possible man, other than every wireless charging standard delivering over 1A, 2016 has nothing good to offer.

    6. Re:Yield problems? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 2

      I would have thought the best tech company in the world (tm) would have no problem copying the many successful designs already on the market.

      Other reporting on the news did a better job of providing some insight into why copying may not be possible and why yields may be a problem. Namely, the rumor mill has been indicating since at least January that Apple was going to try to be the first company to bring extended range wireless charging to market (i.e. just need to have the phone within a few feet of a transmitter, rather than in physical contact with a pad).

      We've known that they've been working on it for years, so it's just been a question of when, not if. Even before the iPhone 7 was launched the rumors were already pointing towards a 2017 debut for the tech. With the pace of patent filings picking up recently and Apple buying out a number of startups doing work in the field, it seems that the rumors of the 2017 debut may bear out.

  2. Which one? by krray · · Score: 2

    I started out using Powermat -- had it on everything. Desk chargers, car chargers, garage, bookshelf, other office, etc.. Everywhere. I got tired of [still] waiting for a case / receiver for the iPhone 6s specific. iPhone 7 is out and still no 6s case.

    Just got done switching all devices over to the Qi standard. Depending on what Apple does I could see opting out of their charging [if not Qi] option and ... wait for a Qi case to show up on the market. Or make it myself. :)

  3. About time... by mspohr · · Score: 3, Informative

    Wireless charging is great. Just set the phone down on the pad and it charges. No fiddling with a plug and socket.
    Of course, Apple probably will want to invent their own charging pad so they can charge big bucks for it and stop others from making competing chargers (lots of charge in that sentence). Everyone else has settled on Qi standard. I have these in the car and several spots at home and they work great.

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  4. Re:Dumb by markdavis · · Score: 2

    >"I don't know who the fuck is behind wireless charging and water proofing. It sure as fuck isn't customers.?

    You are wrong on lots of levels, mostly by assuming people would ONLY use it the way you do. I have enjoyed wireless charging for many years now, starting with the Palm Pre and it is WONDERFUL.

    1) There ARE standards for charging- QI being the most important. But of course Apple won't use anything standard because that will eat into their innovation, I mean profit.

    2) Some of use DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO CHARGE. So being slow won't matter to us when it is more convenient.

    3) Nobody is forcing anyone to use wireless charging, it is a useful OPTION. Pick what works best for you.

    How I use it is- when I get home I slap my Nexus 5 on the pad and it immediately starts charging. 99% of the time I have no alignment or other issues, it just instantly works and I get audible feedback that it works, too. If I get a message or want to use the phone, I pick it up, mess with it (without having to mess with a cord in the way or disconnecting and reconnecting it) and then slap it back on the pad when done. I don't carry it around with me at home. It is extremely convenient to not have to mess with cords and connectors.

    Now, for people who want to charge as quickly as they can so they can get the phone back on their person ASAP, they are free to use the cord/connector option- no problem. But to think it is "dumb" just shows that you can't possibly put yourself in other peoples' shoes.

  5. Re:Dumb by krray · · Score: 2

    > Wireless charging is fucking stupid [...]

    I have to respectfully disagree. Yes, you still have to plug something in somewhere (usually usb)... But beyond that it just gets so simple.

    I still have to put my phone down -- before I was hunting for a cable, or always had a cable draped over something. Ugly. Now I put the cable away, plug it in (once) and decide where the charging pad is to be. I still have to put my phone down / charge it at night -- now it's easy. I rarely have to go hunting for it either it seems.

    The car charger / holding dock has saved me a few times too. There have been nights I forget to charge and in the morning the phone is at 9%. Instead of leaving in my pocket as I usually do -- just dock it in the car and it's almost fully charged by the time I get to work. It's also a great location to hold the phone when using it for navigation (rare for me).

    And the other benefit is I've never worn a plug (on the phone) out like so many around me seem to do all the time. Once every so often I'll have the need to plug directly in for iTunes, sure -- then just unplug the case from the phone (good cases won't require you to remove them from the phone IMHO) and plug in for iTunes (my choice :). Easy.

    I gone as far as to add Qi receivers to old unsupported iPad's -- they're ugly as fuck stick on the back of the device / one size fits all ... but they sure do work. Just set the iPad down under the monitor (here) and it's charging. iPhone and old iPhone now used as a remote for TV more than anything too.

    Ugh -- I'd always be unplugging and plugging shit in all day long. Instead I just set them down [charging]. Too easy.