For those seeking information about what’s going to be in the latest Apple device the patent office is a good place to start. Apple always patent ideas as they come which gives speculators a decent idea of what could be next for an iPad or iPhone, including some potential changes to the iPad Smart Cover.
Step # 1 – Apple Insider Discovers Apple Patent
AppleInsider.com recently found a new application by the company detailing a wireless charging system for the iPad. Rumors have been flying over whether the iPhone 5S will wirelessly charge so you might expect this system being patented for the iPad to be similar – but it is far from it.
Step # 2 – What’s in the Cover
As you can see from these patent images, the charging cover looks remarkably similar to the current smart cover. It does have one important difference though – this large coil built in you can see here, and the battery units seen in this image. Analysis of the patent shows that the cover will be used to store power and wirelessly transfer it to the iPad’s internal battery.
Step # 3 – When to Expect It
Unfortunately, this introduction could be a while off. None of the current iterations of the iPad would work with the device – the internal batteries are simply not compatible. The charging cover also has one significant problem – it still has to be charged by an AC adapter meaning that at some point the iPad has to be physically plugged in. This is surprising as this perhaps the main issue that people going for wireless charging want to avoid. So, as a device for extending battery life, this could be a winner, but for a novel wireless charging solution, it’s a little way off. Although knowing Apple this iPad Smart Cover patent is a long way off from the final design!
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