Apple has began the process in patenting wireless charging, with the firm claiming its magnetic resonance technology is new and its take on the concept itself is industry-leading.
Apple's application for the patent, numbered 20120303980, refers to the ability to charge a device over the air at a distance of up to a meter, as opposed to requiring close proximity.
However, the Alliance For Wireless Power also boasts long-range charging capabilities. The alliance includes members such as Qualcomm and Samsung, who believes distance charging is its unique selling point.
Apple's patent application was filed in November 2010, which was before the alliance was formed. That said, tech startup WiPower applied for its patent on the concept of wireless charging back in 2008; WiPower has since been acquired by Qualcomm.
Several devices already boast wireless charging capabilities including Google's recently released Nexus 4 smartphone and Nokia's Lumia 920. Wireless charging in general is expected to go mainstream soon.
Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Zak Islam is a freelance writer focusing on security, networking, and general computing. His work also appears at Digital Trends and Tom's Guide.
-
tacobravo It seems like Apple wants to patent everything and anything it can, even if its not their original idea (like most of them)Reply -
geraldfryjr Electric Tooth Brush's where among the First to sport wireless charging !!!!Reply
It is not a knew concept as all !!!
jer :) -
mousseng And Tesla powered street lights wirelessly 119 years earlier. Glad to see the field's taken off so quickly!Reply -
house70 The only thing more pathetic than this is the fact that they'll actually be granted this patent in the US.Reply
Even Zak sounds incredulous in the title.