Wireless Charging For the iPhone 5 May Lead To Poor Battery Performance

New rumors suggest that wireless charging could be coming to the iPhone5. But is wireless "inductive charging" a reliable enough technology for the next iPhone?

Scan the recent iPhone 5 rumor mill news and you'll see some new reports indicating that Apple has a few compelling patents on file that lead tech pundits to believe that the iPhone 5 could possibly feature next-generation wireless battery charging. Among the more developed articles on this purported new development is FoneHome's article, which explains that Apple's wireless charging patent features a series of docking models:

"Built into these docks would be an inductive coil. Once placed in close proximity to a device that also possesses one, an alternating current is passed from the base to the portable unit, which is then converted to DC power. Hey presto – you have a charged iPhone battery without ever having to directly plug it into anything. Interestingly, inductive coils can also be used to transfer data." You can read their entire article here

To be sure, battery technology — particularly for mobile devices — always remains a hot topic, since iPhone users understand intuitively that better batteries means longer, more extended mobile computing of advanced apps and features. All you have to do is take a look at the results of the poll at the bottom of our iPhone 5 Features page, which indicates that  an "improved battery" comes in third of twenty possible new features for the iPhone 5, ahead of much sexier features such as "e-ink/retina displays," "smart bezels," and "NFC technology," to name a few. Even though the battery on an iPhone isn't a very interactive feature, iPhone users understand its critical importance.

Of course, so too does the average tech blog, which is why taking an obscure Apple patent and crafting it into the next big iPhone 5 rumor is an easy way to garner a lot of attention and web traffic.

If docking your iPhone or plugging it in for a charge seems incredibly laborious to you, then the idea of being able to just lay your iPhone 5 down on a charging plate at the end of the day probably seems like a groundbreaking idea. And if this is the case, then Apple will be equally excited to sell an expensive wireless charging peripheral to go with the iPhone 5, thus exponentially increasing their profit margins.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, it's important to note that wireless charging has been around for quite some time now, and it is not known to be the most reliable technology when it comes to charging. It could, in fact, turn out to be a disappointing feature for the iPhone 5 if Apple doesn't make some considerable changes to the current technology.

Wireless charging, also known as induction charging, is known to fail at fully charging batteries. Electronics Warehouse has an interesting article that compares induction charging to the use of NiMH rechargeable batteries that were charged using AC power. The article quotes IGN on the issue of using Nintendo's induction charger for the Wiimote, saying,

"Transmitting energy wirelessly, as you can imagine, is not nearly as fast or effective as transferring it through a physical connection, as such, it takes a significantly longer time to fully recharge the battery pack. To fully charge an empty battery, a Wiimote has to be placed on the charger for somewhere between six and eight hours; a pretty lengthy bit of time, no doubt."

It really should be no revelation to gadget users that AC power remains king when it comes to charging batteries: DC power, such as the power used when charging with a cigarette lighter in your car — is historically underpowered compared to plugging your smartphone directly into an AC wall socket. The same is true with induction charging: although the base unit plugs into the wall alla an AC plug, the current that flows from the charger to the device is purely DC.

All of this being said, Apple has demonstrated over the years that they are technology leaders when it comes to rechargeable batteries. In fact, they have spent copious amounts of money, time, and resources on making bigger, bolder, better batteries. If the iPhone 5 ends up with wireless charging features, chances are that it will be the cream of the crop in terms of inductive charging. But no matter what, wireless charging will always be DC-powered.

Three reasons Apple might ship the iPhone 5 in the fall

Will Apple hold off on releasing the iPhone5 (or as Richard Gaywood amusingly names it, the "4S") until September or early fall? Your guess is as good as ours. And yet, while brainstorming this morning, TUAW staffers noted arguments that had us going "hmmmm."

We've shared them for your consideration. Here are several points that could support a later release date than usual. Or not. What do you think?

Verizon and the White iPhone

With the Verizon iPhone 4 shipping in February '11 and the white iPhone debuting in April '11, it's natural to allow for a breathing space (especially considering the 2-year contracts these units carry) before the next generation of handsets replaces current models. An October shipping date would give those with white iPhones time to enjoy their purchases without temptation from the Next Great Thing.

iPhone 5 Renderings Leak, Show Larger Screen

If you are new to the Apple 'rumor mill', pay attention. Due to Apple's high profile products, and dedication to absolute secrecy on their projects, tech junkies are forced to look to other avenues for information. The interest surrounding Apple products really increased after they launched their original iPhone back in 2007. After changing the wireless industry, with an all in one touch screen device, people became extremely interested in what they would dream up next.

The latest target of the rumor mill, is the up and coming iPhone 5. After a major redesign with the iPhone 4 last June, one can only imagine what they might have in store for their next iteration. Luckily, overseas parts manufacturers are there to give us tidbits on Apple products, which is exactly what we have here.

Enter Chinese blog, iDealsChina. The images we show here, were posted on their website sometimes early this morning. It is a purported CAD rendering of Apple's latest iPhone, which is scheduled to be officially announced sometimes early this summer.

These "mold engineering drawings", the site is reporting, were created to aid case manufacturers in their production of new iPhone 5 accessories. These images directly conflict earlier reports that Apple was looking at a complete iPhone redesign, with an aluminum body.

But these pictures do coincide with claims that Apple's next iPhone will indeed have a larger screen, and thinner display borders. With Android competition seeing such success with 4″+ screen sizes, Apple should be taking notice, and act accordingly.

But is this really the latest design out of Cupertino? Probably not. It's been reported that Apple takes several measures to prevent leaks of upcoming products, including circulating fake prototypes within the company.

What do you guys think, is this the new iPhone 5? Is anyone hoping the next iPhone has a larger screen? Let us know below!

Angry Birds boss says Apple's iPhone 'changed everything'

Speaking at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing on Wednesday, the head of Rovio Mobile, the developer behind the bestselling Angry Birds app, said that Apple's iPhone has changed the whole mobile market, noting also that the franchise has become the third most copied brand in China, behind Disney and Hello Kitty.

Vesterbacka, whose job title is the "Mighty Eagle" of Rovio, quizzed the crowd of more than two thousand attendees to discover that "mostly everybody" had played Angry Birds.The popular app has grown "faster than any brand ever before," quickly becoming a global phenomenon. The Angry Birds Rio version of the game became the fastest downloaded game ever with 10 million downloads in 10 days, said Vesterbacka.

Many of those games were developed for other gaming publishing houses; Angry Birds was Rovio's first attempt at developing its own intellectual property and franchise.

Despite lacking a fully implemented marketing plan in China, Angry Birds' popularity has spread to the country, which boasts more than 300 million mobile internet users. According to Vesterbacka, Rovio is now the third most copied brand in China, behind only Disney and Hello Kitty.

Vesterbacka showing an early design sketch of Angry Birds

Vesterbacka admitted that, in spite of the copying, the company was excited to break into the local market and had set a goal to become "the most copied brand in China," while adding that Rovio would "also like to sell authentic products as well."

Rovio's goal is to hit 100 million downloads in China in 2011, on its way to becoming a "leading entertainment brand" in the country in 2012. "We think we can do it, and to do that we're setting up a local operation and investing a lot into creating special versions of Angry Birds" for Chinese users.

Vesterbacka onstage at the GMIC in Beijing

Vesterbacka also attributed much of his company's success to Apple. When comparing the current mobile game climate with black-and-white feature phone games like Snake, he noted that "we have Apple to thank for a lot of change in the industry."

"Apple brought out the iPhone and it changed everything," he said, adding that before the arrival of the iPhone and App Store, carriers and handset makers prevented developers from directly reaching their fans.

"Apple created the distribution for us that we didn't have before. All of a sudden, great games mattered," said Vesterbacka. With Apple's new distribution model, Rovio was able to attain an unprecedented "hockey stick" growth curve. "We are seeing smartphone growth explode, and we are riding that wave," the executive said.

Vesterbacka pointed to Rovio's decision to design the game "around the characters" as contributing to Angry Birds' mass appeal. The company looked to Pixar and other entertainment franchises as models for "character-driven development."

According to the developer, 40 percent of Angry Birds customers make opt for the "Mighty Eagle" in-app purchase, compared to 2 to 3 percent for most companies. Rovio's goal is to reach a 50 percent conversion rate for in-app purchases.

Vesterbacka has been a vocal advocate for the iOS platform. Late last year, he said in an interview that he expects Apple to be "the number one platform for a long time from a developer perspective."

Though Rovio has seen some success on the Android platform, Vesterbacka sees "fragmentation of the [Android] ecosystem" as an issue. "The carriers [are] messing with the experience again," he said, adding that Android is "open, but not really open, a very Google centric ecosystem.

Last November, Vesterbacka apologized to fans for poor Angry Birds performance across a variety of Android devices and promised to develop a "lighter solution" for lower-end Android devices.

White iPhone delay partly due to UV protection

In an interview with Ina Fried at AllThingsD, Phil Schiller and Steve Jobs gave a little insight into what made the white iPhone 4 so tough to produce. Actually, it wasn't really the manufacturing itself, but the materials science needed to make sure the white iPhone was in every way as capable and durable as the black-painted iPhone 4.

Schiller told Fried, "…There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it–how it holds up over time…but also in how it all works with the sensors." There's also a reference to how the white iPhone needs more "UV protection" than the black one, which I would guess comes from the light that is not absorbed by the black paint passing through the white paint instead.

There's a lot of tech that goes into the iPhone, and I'm really not surprised that something like a coating of white paint turned out to be tricky, but I think everyone (including Apple, it sounds like) was surprised at how long it took to sort this out. Still, the white iPhone goes on sale tomorrow. Will you get one? Will you apply sunscreen to it?

[via tuaw]

Fring app brings group video calling to iPhone

Fring has updated its popular iOS IM app to allow group video calls on the iPhone. This is a first for group video calling on any iOS device as far as I know and its a much welcome feature. The group video calling allows you to video chat with up to three of your other friends over 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi.

To take advantage of the new group video calling features, you'll need an iPhone 4 or the latest iPod touch with front-facing camera. Technically, the app will work with devices with only rear-facing cameras, but that kind of defeats the purpose of video calling if you need to have the rear camera on you and can't look at the screen and see the people you are chatting with.

Best of all, Fringe works cross-platform, so you can video chat with people on Android devices. Android requirements are pretty much the same as iOS requirements, users just need Android 2.2 or later and a phone with front and rear cameras.

Fring is available now as a free download.

iPhone 5 Fake Keynote Rehearsal by Steve Jobs

If all the speculation about the iPhone 5 isn't enough for you, there is now apparently a video floating the net waves of iPhone guru Steve Jobs rehearsing the iPhone 5 intro keynote, although one does have to say it's obvious that it is a fake. According to Cult of Mac, apparently the Steve Jobs in the video sounds a lot like George W. Bush, and according to TUAW, by way of Macrumors, the fake video says that the iPhone 5 will have "digital scent technology" and a battery that doesn't require charging.

The video can be found on Chinese site Tudou and lasts 46 seconds and even has the Steve Jobs impersonator stopping mid keynote to change his shoes and says they are as light as an iPhone5.

Have to say it is a considerable poor attempt at faking an Apple keynote, but the big question here is why would anyone want to create such an obvious fake? Smell-o-vision and a lifetime battery sounds good though, lol.