No more Apple dock connector?
This thought popped into my head a few days ago and I have a note to blog about it. This Wall Street Journal article about the 2012 iPhone just reminded me:
with one person saying the company has been experimenting with features such as a new way of charging the phone.
Now that iOS 5 will have wireless syncing, induction charging is the next logical step.
If you’re unfamiliar with induction charging, it essentially lets the battery recharge by drawing it’s power wirelessly from an induction charger. Currently this is only possible at very short ranges, but it allows devices to charge without removing them from their cases to fit in a dock, for example.
I’m not sure if Apple will remove the dock connector altogether as there are situations where it’s necessary to keep the phone plugged in such as when used in a car for GPS navigation or car audio, or when connected to a home audio device.
But then again there are three things that support the idea that they’d remove the dock connector:
- Apple loves to be minimal when it comes to buttons and I/O in favour of better looking hardware.
- Apple is known for dropping standard technologies (sometimes prematurely) in order to push the industry, and consumers, forward.
- Apple would ultimately like to see the battery life of their devices as being so good that you don’t need to worry running the battery dry in the situations listed above.
Beyond this, I can see apple adding induction charging to all their devices and having one charger to fit them all. From laptops to iPod Nanos. Imagine simply laying all your devices anywhere on the coffee table and having them charge. Super cool.
