Source: Apple developing iPhone with over-the-air wireless charging

Apple is working on technology that could charge iPhones wirelessly over a distance, which could be introduced as early as next year.

The Californian company is reported to be developing a form of wireless charging which frees the iPhone from needing to be placed on a charging mat, the most commonly used format currently, according to Bloomberg. It could be introduced in an phone released in 2017, rather than the iPhone 7 expected later this year.

The Apple Watch and several rival smartphones, including Samsung’s Galaxy S6 flagship, use a form of wireless charging that can power a device by resting them on pads instead of being physically plugged into a cable – a process known as inductive or QI charging.

However, technology that allows power to be transferred over the air has proved elusive. Engineers are currently trying to overcome difficulties in the technology maintaining power over distance, meaning the battery could take longer to charge the further away from the base unit.

Wireless charging is looking to be a key element in future iPhones as rumours gather credence.  A source previously told Fast Company that Apple was looking to integrate QI charging technology into future handsets, though it’s unknown if it could be as early as the iPhone 7, expected this September.

The iPhone 7 will also boast a waterproof body thanks to chemical coating and will do away with the iPhone’s headphone jack, it has been reported.