As always tends to be the case a few months prior to a purported iPhone launch, the rumor mill has been awash with speculation that Apple could follow in the footsteps of Nokia et al and bring wireless charging to its prized smartphone this year. A report surfacing from the famously hit-and-miss Digitimes suggests the Cupertino company will indeed be introducing the technology as a built-in feature to the so-called "iPhone 5S", but 9to5Mac‘s notion to the contrary would seem more correct.
Far from a gimmick, wireless charging has made it easier for many millions of consumers to juice up their mobile devices with abundant convenience. However, while HTC, Samsung and Nokia have been steadfast in their adoption, Apple has been characteristically hesitant, and currently the only way to enjoy wireless charging on the iPhone is to attach a separate case. While this is enough for those looking for a passive way to charge their device, it sacrifices a great deal of the svelteness, something which attracts many consumers to the handset in the first place.
Digitimes’ coverage, particularly those – as with this particular report – which state unspecified sources, should always be taken with a pinch of salt. Lest we forget, the blogosphere convinced itself NFC was coming to the iPhone 5 last year, only for that rumor to shot down by one Anand Lal Shimpi in the build-up to the launch.
Moreover, most seem convinced that the iPhone 5S will, as with previous other "S" releases, remain fairly identical to its predecessor, with the typical processor bump, better camera and maybe even fingerprint scanning. Introducing wireless charging would certainly bulk out the iPhone, and would point to a more "iPhone 6" like specification than the incremental changes we’re expecting.
So, considering what we have gathered thus far, it’s fair to say those looking for native wireless charging should focus their attentions on some of the alternative flagship devices available on the market.
As with LTE radio, which arrived years behind the Samsungs and LGs of the world, it would appear Apple has a little engineering to do in order to squeeze a wireless charging feature into the extraordinarily slender iPhone. Perhaps next year?
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