Apple's next iPhone will feature wireless charging support but the wireless charger may not come bundled with the product. The 2017 iPhone, dubbed iPhone 8 and not iPhone 7S is rumoured to get support for wireless charging using an inductive pad similar to the one available for Apple Watch.
Wireless charging is not a new technology and many Android flagship smartphones support the technology. While Android devices feature metal, glass and plastic combination for their build, the use of all glass solution could actually yield in faster charging times. According to KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 8 will offer wireless charging at fast speeds with minimum disruption from frequency interference.
Ming-Chi Kuo who predicted that Apple will bundle a lightning to 3.5mm converter with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus claims the Cupertino-based company won't bundle a wireless charger with every model and it may be limited to the expensive model. Lately, Apple has been pushing the envelope in order to gets consumers to buy the expensive variants. He also cautions that plans are up in the air at this point but buyers of the low-end model may have to buy an additional accessory.
Earlier, Kuo claimed that Apple might announce three new iPhones in 2017, two models which will serve as successors to iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus while the third one will be showcase of Apple's technology might. The third device could feature bezel-less design and sport an OLED display. All three models are tipped to feature unibody glass casing with wireless charging support.
The KGI report also says that Pegatron will solely be responsible for supply of the wireless charger as Foxconn will be managing the 'OLED' iPhone. Wireless charging has been one of the most requested feature on iPhone and 2017 may well be the year for it. Earlier this year, there were reports suggesting Apple working on a long-range wireless charging technology. The KGI report suggests Apple will adopt an approach similar to other Android OEMs for now. However, as the months progress we will hear more on these developments.