iPhone 7 May Feature Energous WattUp Wireless Charging

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For the past several months, there have been speculations that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 would boast of wireless charging capabilities. Bloomberg learned from its sources in January that the tech giant was working with a partner on wireless charging technology that would allow devices to charge from “further away from than the charging mats” used with existing smartphones.

iPhone 7 May Feature Energous WattUp Wireless Charging

Energous talks about its ‘key strategic partner’

So, who is Apple’s partner in developing the wireless charging technology? Disruptive Tech Research analyst Louis Basenese firmly believes that Energous is Apple’s partner. The San Jose-based company has said on several occasions that it had signed an agreement with one of the world’s top five consumer electronics companies. During a conference call last week, Energous CEO Stephen Rizzone kept referring to the secretive “key strategic partner.”

Energous’ WattUp enables smartphones and other gadgets to charge wirelessly from a distance of up to 15 feet. Talking about the “key strategic partner,” Stephen Rizzone said last week, “The whole relationship and the internal development are really shrouded in secrecy. There is an element of secrecy to them.” Apple is both: one of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies and highly secretive.

Rizzone hints WattUp making it into iPhone 7

Will the WattUp technology be incorporated in the iPhone 7? Rizzone says the technology will be in consumers’ hands in “late 2016.” Apple is set to launch the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in September this year. WattUp is a two-part system consisting of a chip and a transmitter. The chip is so small that it can be added inside a smartphone. The transmitter sends focused signals at the same frequency as WiFi, meaning they are safe. The chip receives those signals and converts them into power.

The iPhone 7 is rumored to bring many other technologies. A high-end version of the device will have a dual-lens camera that will allow you to take better quality images. Apple is also going to remove the protruding rear camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, and antenna bands.

 

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