Apple is killing the charging plug on its highest-end phones by 2021?

#41

These wireless only phones are good but wireless chargers are more expensive :moneybag: and the old cords I’ve bought are useless for some of these wireless chargers, especially my apple cords :man_shrugging:

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#42

So we discussed it, on the assumption if something is possible then eventually someone will make it and some will buy it, and discussed how many would buy it. The consensus was that as wireless charging will always (for like-cost *) be slower people would prefer to keep a port. My own view is with an improvement in battery technology that wireless charging will get fast enough vast majority of people will be perfectly happy.

We are already seeing proprietary wireless charging as fast as wired when you throw enough technology at it like a fan cooled pad.

(*) The Oneplus wireless charger is $70

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#43

Anker’s wireless chargers go on sale quite a lot and their prices are quite good :+1:

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#44

So, rumor has it that the portless iPhones in 2021 will have Smart Connectors. The Smart Connector can be used to transfer large amounts of data and to reset and troubleshoot the phone. It is capable of charging as well, although that is not the primary objective. Right now, the Smart Connectors are primarily used by iPads to connect to keyboards.

This alleviates many of the concerns of going portless and makes portless much more bearable: the aforementioned data transfer and troubleshooting, a second way of charging should wireless fail, charging-while-using is easier (or maybe a third party will make a wireless charging pad that sticks to the back of the phone and will have like a 10 foot cord).

Hope the portless versions of the iPhones will accept at least 15W (maybe 18W or 30W?).

#45

You mean like pogo pins? Magnetic large dots? You have a fairly wide plug connects magnetically? It’s waterproof as no hole.

You can charge via them but not as effective as wired as little contact area so more for low data needs, fix a bricked phone etc

I doubt it’s for fast charging, the resistance is too high.

#46

It’s not for fast charging. The old Smart Connector design (pogo pins) was capable of 12W charging. The current Smart Connector design (flat magnetic contacts) probably does the same 12W. I wouldn’t use it to charge on a regular basis, but it’s a great backup in case of emergency.

Logitech made Logi Base for the old Smart Connector. They didn’t make one for the current Smart Connector, presumably because the sales were so low.