It is now all but confirmed that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8 will feature wireless charging capabilities. However, a recent report from Macotakar, if true, is no less of a disappointment that the wireless charging feature on iPhone 8 will be limited to only 7.5W.
Apple’s arch rival Samsung is already offering fast wireless charging of 15W in its latest flagship handsets making it very disappointing to see Apple aiming for 7.5W wireless charging in its iPhone 8. Even the Qi’s technology which Apple is expected to use supports 15-watt fast wireless charging.
Adding insult to the injury, the sources of Macotakara suggest that the current available Qi wireless chargers won’t be able to wirelessly charge the iPhone 8. Instead, the Cupertino company plans to launch Apple certified-chip for Qi wireless chargers to ensure iPhone compatibility.
We have seen the same route Apple followed for the wireless charging feature of the Apple Watch. Despite featuring Qi wireless charging standard, Apple made sure that Apple Watch can only be charged with wireless charger the company bundles with the device by modifying the format slightly.
On a positive note, Apple is expected to make the wired charging faster on the iPhone 8. This speed boost will reportedly result in a significant reduction in charging time. Still, this does not change the fact that the wireless charging will remain slow on iPhone 8 with the added cap on 7.5-watt. One reason that comes to mind for this power cap might be prevention steps towards over-heating while wireless charging which is a common issue.