iPhone 8 Wireless Charging Feature Reportedly Being Developed By 5 Different Groups Inside Apple

Apple is believed to be adding wireless charging to the iPhone 8 this year. However, there have been conflicting reports on how exactly the tech giant is planning on implementing this feature.

Some rumors have pointed to inductive technology, while others have stated that Apple is planning on a long-range charging solution. Inductive technology is probably the most common form of wireless charging for smartphones and it requires a charging pad that usually resembles a hockey puck.

Earlier this month, Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium, a large group of companies that invest in and help develop Qi inductive wireless charging standard. This is why many believe that the iPhone 8 will feature inductive wireless charging. However, this might not actually be the case.

This Thursday, it was revealed that Apple has five different groups working on wireless charging technology for the new iPhone, according to a report from Reuters. This is why adoption of wireless charging for the iPhone appears to be quite messy at this point.

It’s possible that Apple is trying to develop a new form of wireless charging technology that most consumers haven’t seen before. This may also explain why Apple has been behind other OEMs when it comes to this type of feature.

Although Apple appears to be interested in inductive wireless charging, a long-range solution seems more in line with the company’s vision of a wireless future, as pointed out by 9To5Mac. The Apple Watch already features inductive wireless charging, and the iPhone 8 needs to differentiate itself from that by introducing something new.

Apple is expected to start iPhone 8 production as early as next quarter (April-June), which might mean that the company has already finalized the device’s hardware, according to MacRumors. The iPhone 8 is said to come with a 5.8-inch model which will feature an edge-to-edge OLED display. Previous reports claim that the specific model will be the only variant to feature some form of wireless charging.