Apple may be planning Smart Connector for Augmented Reality and Charging

Apple may be planning to launch a Smart Connector for Augmented Reality and Charging. According to a news report from Israeli site The Verifier has revealed that there is a strong chance that Smart Connector would arrive on the OLED iPhone.

The report also stated that Smart Connector would help facilitate wireless charging for the new iPhone 8, but there aren’t any details as to how that would actually happen. Perhaps, Apple is developing a variant of the Smart Connector, in order to provide wireless charging and AR features.

The Smart Connector on the current iPad Pro models is a port designed to provide power and data connection to accessories, like keyboards. The magnetic Smart Connector was introduced on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2015, but it is not known how much data actually passes through the port.

It is worth mentioning that Apple could very well use the Lighting port to connect the iPhone to AR or VR accessories, as some say the magnetic strength on the Smart Connector is not ideal. Apple TV hardware and AirPlay would also play a role in Apple’s VR/AR technology for the upcoming iPhone 8.

Last year there were several reports pointing to the fact that the iPhone 7 will incorporate the Smart Connector, but they did not materialize as the lineup last year did not feature the port found on the iPad Pro.

We should however suggest that this information should be taken with a grain of salt, as there are no other reports which indicate such a feature on the iPhone 8. What is already known is that the anniversary iPhone will feature an edge-to-edge OLED display, waterproof features, wireless charging and a dual-camera setup on the back. At this point, it’s unclear as to when the OLED iPhone will launch, but it is expected to be announced in September, together with the iPhone 7s and the 7s Plus.

(source)