14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has made it a hobby to remove features from the iPhone, and after pulling the plug on the headphone jack and the fingerprint sensor, it looks like the company had another such move in mind.
A report from Bloomberg reveals that Apple wanted to remove the charging port completely from the iPhone, and the idea was considered during the development of iPhone X.
Apple believed that by offering wireless charging, the Lightning port no longer made sense, though there are no specifics as to how users would have been able to connect devices to their computers.
This proposal was eventually rejected because wireless charging was considered too slow, though by the looks of things, it could be brought back on the table at a later time should Apple manage to improve this charging method.
Portless iPhone idea not abandoned yet
A portless iPhone is not expected to launch this year, as Apple is still working on improving wireless charging speed, and people with knowledge of the matter previous said that the company is particularly focused on this for the next-generation devices. Apple will launch three iPhones this year, including a successor to the iPhone X and a Plus-sized model.
The cited source also reveals that Apple is still working on getting the AirPower charging mat ready, and the company originally planned to launch it June, but then delayed it due to overheating problems. Apple is now hoping to finalize testing by September, as more employees are currently using the charging mat on a daily basis to track down potential issues and fix them as soon as possible.
There’s a chance that AirPower would be announced in September alongside the new iPhones, though at the same time, it’s believed that sales could start with just an online announcement at any moment.
AirPower can enable wireless charging of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Only the iPhone 8 and iPhone X support wireless charging, however.