According to a recent claim from 9to5Mac that cites insiders with knowledge of Apple’s plans, the company is still working on a reverse wireless charging feature that would enable the iPhone to charge other devices like the AirPods.
For a future iPhone, Apple is developing “advanced bilateral wireless charging technology.” The feature wasn’t “finalized in time” for the business to include it in the iPhone 14 Pro versions as originally planned.
According to the website, the “wireless power out” firmware Apple is developing will serve as the foundation for the two-way wireless charging capability. It is a “critical component of the continuous testing and engineering” of reverse wireless charging. However, it is still being determined exactly what that implies.
To create a feature allowing the iPhone to charge other devices, Apple must optimize factors such as charging efficiency, heat dissipation, and charging speed. For bilateral wireless charging, Apple is creating a “unique user interface” that will resemble the MagSafe accessory interface.
Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports of reverse wireless charging (also known as bidirectional wireless charging). Before the gadget’s release, bilateral wireless charging was predicted to be a feature of the iPhone 11, but it was not included. Later rumors claimed that Apple had discontinued the function because the charging efficiency did not meet Apple’s standards.
According to an Apple FCC petition, the iPhone 12 may include reversing wireless charging capabilities concealed inside the hardware. In 2021, Apple will introduce the MagSafe Battery Pack, which will have a reverse wireless charging demonstration.
The MagSafe Battery Pack can use passthrough technology to charge when inserted into a Lightning connection and magnetically fastened to an iPhone. In the future, charging for AirPods and other gadgets might function similarly, attaching to the iPhone’s back and charging concurrently with the iPhone. Several years ago, Samsung, an Apple rival, offered a reverse wireless charging feature that enables a Samsung smartphone to charge any Qi-based device, including another smartphone.
Reverse wireless charging may be postponed once more or abandoned entirely, according to 9to5Mac. Thus it is impossible to predict when the feature will be available. Several rumors concerning the iPhone 15 lineup have already surfaced. Reverse wireless charging hasn’t been mentioned yet by trustworthy sources like Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, so it’s possible that we won’t see it until 2023.