The iPhone X could have shipped without wired charging, according to Bloomberg‘s well-sourced Mark Gurman.
In an article explaining the whereabouts of Apple’s AirPower wireless charger (more on that here), Gurman noted that the firm considered eliminating wired charging – and the Lightning port – from the iPhone X, in favour of wireless.
That wasn’t feasible at the time though, Gurman added, because wireless charging was still slower than traditional methods, and bundling an in-house wireless charger in the box would have significantly raised the price of the handset.
Speaking to MacRumors, Gurman also revealed that Apple’s main goal is to “remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone” – lining up with lead designer Jony Ive’s vision of the iPhone resembling a single sheet of glass.
We can’t help but feel Apple made the right decision retaining the Lightning connector; most cars aren’t equipped with wireless charging pads, so you wouldn’t be able to juice up on the go, and some accessories require a wired connection.
Related: iPhone 9
Before Apple can scrap the port, it will first need to revise the requirements for its MFi Program to encourage manufacturers to start altering their peripherals, like adapters and battery cases, to function wirelessly – and that will take a while.
It also ought to figure out a way to charge the handset while it isn’t placed on a pad, as customers frequently use their handset while it’s on charge to accept calls and, well, holding both the charging mat and the phone to your area isn’t an option.
Do you think it’s too early to adopt a completely wireless design? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter @TrustedReviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
