Future iPhones, iPads may be able to wirelessly charging other device by placing the device on their screens

Apple has been granted patent (number US 11784511) for “through-display wireless charging” that hints that future iPhones and iPads may be able to wirelessly charging other device by placing the device on their screens.

About the patent

In the patent Apple says that it would be great for personal electronic devices to provide the capability to charge associated accessories. Of course, this can be done with wired connections, but the tech giant wants such charging to be provided by a wireless connection between the personal electronic device and the accessory.

Apple is interested in a configuration that can include an iPad or iPhones configured to allow for an Apple Pencil or other accessory to be wirelessly charged on a face of the personal electronic device — in other words, thorough a display of the device.

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A personal electronic device (e.g., a tablet computer) may be configured to wirelessly charge an accessory (e.g., a stylus) through a display face of the device. At least a portion of the display face may be transparent to facilitate display viewing. A wireless charging assembly disposed within the enclosure may include a core having one or more windings disposed thereon, which may be configured to generate a magnetic flux above the display face to couple to the accessory. 

“The core may be a pot core, a modified pot core, or may have another shape, such as a PQ core. The one or more windings may be disposed on one or more posts of a pot core, or additionally or alternatively, may be disposed on another portion of the core. A metallic shield may be disposed about the wireless charging assembly, thereby surrounding multiple sides of the wireless charging assembly.”