IPad and iPhone could charge Apple Pencil through the screen
A patent from the Cupertino company reveals how this technological innovation would work.
We have talked about the virtues of reverse wireless charging on numerous occasions, in fact a little over a year ago we discovered that the iPhone 12 line actually already had support for reverse wireless charging. This feature allows devices – generally smartphones – to receive and charge the battery of other devices from the rear.
But what if the wireless charging reverse happen across the screen? Well, this could be possible with future iPhone and iPad models, according to a new patent that Apple.
The idea of charging a terminal using the power of another device seemed like it would always work the same way, you would place a smartphone face down on a table and put another device on top to charge it.
However, it is a bit weird (personally) to place a smartphone screen on the table or any other surface. It seemed to be something that went against nature. But … will it be more normal to place a device on top of a screen to charge its battery or will it still feel “weird”? Let’s see what Apple’s new patent has to tell us!
This is the new Apple patent that would allow an iPad to charge the battery of another device through its screen
At the end of the year 2021, Apple presented a new patent in which it showed a MagSafe case capable of charging AirPods. Now, the Cupertino company has returned to the fray with a new patent whose application it proposes place a device on the iPhone or iPad to charge its battery.
Apple’s new patent registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office with part number 20210408826 is entitled “Wireless charging via display”.
Its name says it all, the patent talks about a technology capable of charging the battery of a device through the screen of another device.
“An electronic device (for example a tablet computer) can be configured to wirelessly charge an accessory (for example a stylus) through the front screen of the device.”
The general description of the patent seems to suggest that iPhone and iPad can charge Apple Pencil battery. A system that would make a lot of sense, given that many iPad users unconsciously leave their Apple Pencil on the iPad screen when they are not using it.
Currently Apple offers a fairly practical solution that consists of docking the Apple Pencil on the flat edges of the iPad Pro in order to charge its battery wirelessly. Of course, as long as it is a second-generation Apple Pencil. Otherwise you have to connect it through the Lightning connector.
The patent is described in very complex language but is accompanied by illustrations that clarify the operation of this wireless charging system that Apple could be planning to work on.
The illustrations show us a hybrid screen with a section that could enable wireless charging of an Apple Pencil. According to the patent, that area of the screen “may not” show anything. So are we talking about the side bezels? Does Apple want users to have more comfort when it comes to picking up their Apple Pencil again, since it is more tedious to do it from the edges of the iPad?
In the patent illustrations we see what appears to be a cylindrical stylus very similar to an Apple Pencil.
Taking into account that over the last few years the trend of the company with the bitten apple logo has been to gradually reduce the side bezels, not only of its iPad, but also of its iPhone … it is implausible that Apple will widen the frames again of your electronic devices with the sole purpose of being able to charge the battery of the Apple Pencil from the front screen of your iPhone or iPad.
However, citing the patent, an iPad screen frame bezels could have magnets to dock the Apple Pencil in a gap of about 1 centimeter, which is what the bezels on iPad Pro models measure.
“A wireless charging assembly configured to provide charging to an accessory in a personal electronic device, wherein the wireless charging assembly would comprise: a core configured to be arranged under the display of a personal electronic device; one or two windings arranged in the core and configured to generate a magnetic flux under the front screen, wirelessly providing power to an accessory when this accessory is placed in a predetermined location on the screen. “
The patent has been developed by eight inventors among whom, as we have been informed since Apple Insider, is Zaki Moussaoui, an Apple employee previously related to another wireless charging patent with CarKey chargers. As we usually indicate in these types of articles, the appearance on the scene of the registration of this patent does not necessarily mean that Apple is going to develop this technology, but that they are simply presenting the idea to develop it or not in the future.
At the moment, it seems that iPad users will have to wait for the company with the bitten apple logo to launch this interesting initiative to charge the battery of devices Apple Pencil, AirPods and other accessories through the iPad screen. But Apple already offers more than interesting alternative solutions to charge the battery of its products using wireless charging technology.
First of all, AirPods have been offering wireless charging for years through their charging case. On the other hand, Apple also incorporated wireless charging to its last four generations of smartphones. In addition, the company launched a MagSafe battery capable of charging the iPhone battery by attaching to its back.
Related topics: Rumors, leaks and patents
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Reference-ipadizate.com