It is no secret that the upcoming iPhone 8 will come with support for wireless charging built-in. Although earlier rumours had claimed that the iPhone 8 will adopt the ‘Qi’ wireless charging standard used by Android manufacturers like Samsung and LG, now a new report by Japanese fan site Mac Qtakara has claimed that the iPhone 8 is expected to use Apple’s own wireless charging units which adhere to the company’s ‘Made for iPhone’ (MfI) program. This means third-party manufacturers to pay Apple a certain sum of money in order to make wireless accessories.
Apart from being proprietary, the iPhone 8’s wireless charging is expected to run at just 7.5 watts as compared to the 15watts supported by the Qi charging standard. This means the iPhone 8’s wireless charging is expected to be slower than its Android rivals. The speed offered by the Qi charging standard is already slower than wired charging.
It is not confirmed at the moment whether the iPhone 8 will be compatible with industry standard Qi wireless charging pads. Apple could end up certifying only a few charging pads that support its ‘half-power’ implementation. This means that the vast majority of accessories which are available in the market and public wireless charging spots available in countries such as the USA will be incompatible with the iPhone 8.
