Apple files a patent for iPhones, MacBook inductive charging tech

The patent also mentions MacBook to feature this tech so you can possibly keep your Apple Watch or iPhone on it to charge them wirelessly.

The patent also mentions MacBook to feature this tech so you can possibly keep your Apple Watch or iPhone on it to charge them wirelessly. (REUTERS)

The smartphone industry is abuzz with all the leaks and rumours regarding the upcoming 'affordable' iPhone, tipped as iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9. However, Apple is working on a new tech behind the scenes, a hint of which is given by the new patent filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO. As per the patent Apple may implement inductive charging tech in its future iPhones or Mac devices.

Here's how the patent abstract details it. "An electronic device and methods for inductively charging an electronic device using another external electronic device. The electronic device may include an enclosure, a battery positioned within the enclosure, and an inductive coil coupled to the battery. The inductive coil may have two or more operational modes, including a power receiving operational mode for wirelessly receiving power and a power transmitting operational mode for wirelessly transmitting power. The electronic device may also have a controller coupled to the inductive coil for selecting one of the operational modes."

The patent also mentions MacBook to feature this tech so you can keep your Apple Watch or iPhone on it to charge them wirelessly. There is also a mention about the MacBook being able to get recharged from an iPhone. Although the details on this are scarce, it will be interesting to see how this will work.

However, this is not the first time that Apple has filed a patent for such tech. It had filed similar patents in 2015 and 2018 as well. What's worth noticing here is that this is the first patent ever since Samsung and Huawei made this tech more popular.

If you have been following the smartphone tech industry, you must be aware that Huawei's latest P40 smartphones and Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphones feature 'reverse wireless' charging.

Rest assured, this tech might not be arriving in the rumoured iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9. It may possibly arrive in iPhone 12 or maybe by next year.