"Stop plugging things in!" Apple seems to be telling iPhone owners. First it eliminated the headphone jack, and now Cupertino might finally introduce wireless charging, eliminating the need for a power cord, too.
That's according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who predicted that Apple will introduce wireless charging on the three new iPhone models it's expected to unveil later this year.
Because of the increased heat dissipated during wireless charging, Kuo suggested the next iPhone will have added graphite lamination to prevent the phone from overheating.
"While we don't expect general users to notice any difference, lamination of an additional graphite sheet is needed for better thermal control and, thus, steady operation; this is because FPCB is replaced with film, which is more sensitive to temperature change of the 3D touch sensor in OLED iPhone," Kuo wrote in a research note obtained by MacRumors.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But wireless charging has been conspicuously absent from its mobile devices, despite the feature's presence on everything from Android phones to futuristic concept buses.
It's been a rumored possible iPhone feature for ages. In November, for example, Nikkei reported that Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturing giant that supplies components found in many mobile devices, is reportedly making wireless charging modules compatible with a next-gen iPhone.
Besides heat dissipation, supply chain issues are another obstacle for Apple to overcome should it introduce wireless charging. Overhauling the 3D Touch module, as Kuo suggests, could boost manufacturing costs by as much as $5 per unit, according to MacRumors. That seemingly small increase nevertheless could contribute to an iPhone 8 MSRP that some rumors peg as north of $1,000.
Difficulties in sourcing parts hampered sales of the iPhone 7 immediately following its launch last fall, although with Apple recently reporting record profits, the issue appears not to have had a lasting effect on the company's bottom line.