Wireless power: What you should know >

If you’ve been casting a jealous eye over the wireless charging capability of the new Samsung S7 smartphone, you’re not alone. Sit it on a compatible charging station or pad and you’ll be able to witness the magic of electromagnetic energy transfer being used to fill up their batteries. So, why not the iPhone?

One possible reason is that there are simply too many competing technologies out there and Apple is waiting for the industry to settle on a standard it feels confident using. That looks more likely now with the formation of the AirFuel Alliance (airfuel.org), which aims to do exactly that. Another issue is that wireless charging technology isn’t all that wireless: devices still have to be in touching distance of their chargers to work. There are technologies out there though, such as WiTricity (witricity.com), which may one day enable devices to be charged wirelessly from up to several feet away. After the 3.5mm headphone jack, will wireless charging spell the end for the iPhone’s Lightning port?