iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max models include the necessary hardware for a two-way charging feature that was widely rumored for the devices, but Apple has disabled the feature on the software end, according to "reliable sources" cited by leaker and former Apple blogger Sonny Dickson.
Reliable sources are saying iPhone 11 and 11 Pro do include the hardware for bilateral charging, but that it is software disabled. Uncertain whether this was removed prior to final production run.
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) September 13, 2019
Dickson, through his connections, has proven reliable at times in the past. He had early line of sight on the AirPower's development challenges, for example, and the wireless charging mat was eventually canceled.
For months ahead of their unveiling, the latest iPhones were rumored to feature a Qi-based device-to-device charging feature, allowing for an Apple Watch, AirPods, and other accessories to charge on the back of the iPhones. The feature was expected to be similar to Wireless PowerShare on Samsung's Galaxy S10.
The centered Apple logo on the iPhone 11 models was even believed to be partly intended to help customers know where to place their AirPods, Apple Watch, or other accessories to charge on the back of the iPhone.
Just hours before Apple's event this week, however, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the feature appeared to have been canceled. In a note seen by MacRumors, Kuo said the feature was possibly abandoned because "the charging efficiency may not meet Apple's requirements."
Teardowns of the iPhone 11 models will soon confirm whether the two-way charging hardware is in fact present in the devices. Deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, September 20.
For those thinking this will be enabled in a future software update, don’t get your hopes up. It would’ve been a selling point, and Apple would’ve talked about it on stage.
Would prefer wireless charging pads built into both sides of the trackpad on my MacBook Pro so I could charge my AirPods/Apple Watch at work without additional cables.
The charging efficiency is probably very bad. People are complaining about the Samsung Powershare feature as well. Basically, 80% of power is completely lost as heat (Example: one phone loses 15% battery while the other only gains 3%). It might be ok to charge small devices like an apple watch or the airpods but definitely not a phone.
This is actually one reason why the new iPhone Pro is disappointing. Imagine going on a weekend trip with your iPhone and Apple Watch. With this technology you wont need to bring your watch charging cable with you. Just take a shower and put your watch on the back of the iPhone while the smartwatch is being charged by cable.
Here is the thing, it'll need to be a pretty loooooong shower.
Does anyone really give a damn about this feature? I sure don’t. Sounds like it’s just another thing to complain about just because and when we finally have it no one will ever use it.
Friday February 3, 2023 1:13 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released iOS 16.3 in late January following nearly six weeks of beta testing. The software update is available for the iPhone 8 and newer, and while it is a relatively minor update, it still includes a handful of new features, changes, and bug fixes.
Below, we've recapped new features in iOS 16.3, including support for physical security keys as a two-factor authentication option for...
Thursday February 2, 2023 7:57 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's VP of hardware engineering Matthew Costello and product marketing employee Alice Chan recently spoke with Men's Journal and TechCrunch about the new second-generation HomePod in wide-ranging interviews about the smart speaker.
Apple discontinued the original full-size HomePod in March 2021 after multiple reports indicated that sales of the speaker were lackluster, but Chan told Men's ...
Apple's next device with an Apple silicon chip may not be a Mac or an iPad, but rather an advanced external display, according to recent reports.
The display, which is rumored to arrive this year, is expected to sit somewhere between the $1,599 Studio Display and the $4,999 Pro Display XDR – but more exact information about the device's positioning and price point is as yet unknown. While ...
Thursday February 2, 2023 6:41 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple appears to be preparing an iOS 16.3.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs this week. It's unclear when the update will be released, but it will likely be available at some point in February.
The same logs have accurately foreshadowed the release of several previous updates, including iOS 16.0.3 and iOS 16.1.1 most recently, so they...
Tuesday January 31, 2023 11:58 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has previously announced several upcoming iOS features that are expected to be added to the iPhone this year. Some of the features could be introduced with iOS 16.4, which should enter beta testing soon, while others will arrive later in the year.
Below, we have recapped five new iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option for purchases ...
Thursday February 2, 2023 2:10 pm PST by Juli Clover
The Apple Pay Later service that Apple has in the works is set to launch "soon," Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC ahead of today's earnings call for the first fiscal quarter of 2023.
Cook said that Apple employees are beta testing the Apple Pay Later feature, which will help Apple boost services revenue. "It will be launching soon," Cook said.
Apple Pay Later was first previewed at the...
Google's Chromium developers are working on an experimental web browser for iOS that would break Apple's browser engine restrictions, The Register reports.
The experimental browser, which is being actively pursued by developers, uses Google's Blink engine. Yet if Google attempted to release it on the App Store, it would not pass Apple's App Review process.
Apple's App Store rules dictate...
Apple on January 23 released iOS 16.3, delivering support for Security Keys for Apple IDs, changes to Emergency SOS functionality, support for the second-generation HomePod, and more.
Top Rated Comments
How often would you pop your AirPods on your phone to charge?