When the Lumia devices were released recently, one of the new features that was rather unique was the wireless charging capabilities. This involved just placing the device on a charging mat that would charge the battery through the metal contacts. The accessories were sold separately but the facility seemed to go down well with most critics as the charging mats seemed to be pretty convenient. One of the main critics of the entire idea was Apple, which said that the technology was not really practical and didn’t want to pursue it any further.
However, a patent that Apple filed back in 2011 reveals that the company might be attempting to develop similar technology on its own in the near future and the interesting thing is that, if the project is seen to completion, the result might just be better than what Nokia announced with its Lumia devices. If this is indeed true on Apple’s end, it will contradict what Apple’s head of marketing, Phil Schiller said at the unveiling of the iPhone 5. He was of the opinion that developing another device that also needs to be plugged into the wall does not offer any real benefit.
The devices that Nokia has been marketing so far are compatible with just a single device and if the patent filing from Apple is examined in detail, it shows that Apple intends to work with charging mats and the like that can charge several devices in a single go. The alternates seem to be either a dock or a pillow with the dock being the option for a single device. Of course, if Apple’s history with peripherals and accessories is anything to go by, then both the versions might just be developed.
The working of the device is tentative right now but one can be sure that Apple has a surprise up its sleeve. Among the rumors that surfaced, the best is that the device can detect if the phone or other Apple device is placed on its front or back and either charge or sync depending on the orientation. This feature, if implemented will indeed be neat but it means that the dock will have to be network enabled. Since the patent is called “Device Orientation Based Docking Function”, the facility might just be available. Apple surely looks like it is going to take the level of innovation up a notch!
