Wireless Charging Accessory Might Not Ship Until After New 2017 iPhones Launch

Apple's upcoming 2017 iPhone lineup is expected to include an inductive wireless charging feature enabled through a standalone charging accessory, and new information shared by Apple blogger John Gruber suggests the accessory might not ship alongside the iPhones in September.

In a tweet shared this evening, Gruber says he's heard that the inductive charging accessory will be sold separately rather than included with the iPhones, a rumor we've heard previously, and that it might be shipped later in the year alongside an iOS 11.1 update.

Gruber's wording says the charging accessory "might" be late, so the delay is not confirmed, and it is not yet clear why Apple would hold off on shipping the rumored standalone charger.

Early rumors about the OLED "iPhone 8" and its two companion devices, the "iPhone 7s" and the "iPhone 7s Plus," suggested Apple was considering a long-range charging feature, but that technology is still new and there are likely many hurdles to overcome before it's ready for inclusion in a device like the iPhone.

Instead, Apple is rumored to be introducing Apple Watch-style inductive charging, enabled through a standalone charging accessory.

qi charging

An example of a Qi wireless charging solution

In a research note published earlier this week, trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the three iPhones coming in 2017 will adopt glass bodies to facilitate WPC-standard wireless charging functionality. WPC-standard refers to the Wireless Power Consortium (Apple is a member), which supports the Qi wireless charging functionality built into many Android devices.

If Apple's upcoming iPhones do indeed support a universal inductive charging technology like Qi, the devices could potentially work with a range of already-available charging solutions once the wireless charging feature is enabled. Apple's exact plans for its inductive wireless charging solution remain unclear, however, and it could be limited to Apple-designed accessories.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

bbydon Avatar
84 months ago
This is not wireless charging, it is inductive charging and it still has wires. Stop calling it wireless.
Score: 77 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spiritbox Avatar
84 months ago
I like the idea of wireless charging on the iPhone, but don't see a huge difference in placing on a charging dock vs plugging in a charger. Either way you're still relying on a cable and have to keep your iPhone in one place. I wouldn't pay much extra for this feature.
Score: 57 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SteveJobs2.0 Avatar
84 months ago
What exactly is there to delay the release? This technology has been around for years.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mlrollin91 Avatar
84 months ago
What exactly is there to delay the release? This technology has been around for years.
Delay the product, so the cost of the charger and cost of iPhone don't stack and seems less painful. Therefore, more people buy? lol

I bet it will be $99, look at the cost of the Apple Watch dock.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
84 months ago
Apple's exact plans for its inductive wireless charging solution remain unclear, however, and it could be limited to Apple-designed accessories.
With inductive charging, it still requires the devices to be placed on a charging pad, correct?

I'd rather just have it plugged in, at least you could still pick up the phone while it is charging.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ds6778 Avatar
84 months ago
Tim can't launch anything properly.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...