Apple is so far the purpose of design improvement of the iPhone, in the past the 30-pin Dock connector, abolished the 3.5mm earphone jack in iPhone7. And September 27 days, from the contents of the patent that Apple has acquired new, the company has become clear that now is considering the abolition of the Lightning port.
Patent
This patent that Apple has acquired (patent number 9,453,976) is, as an interface to a plurality of small holes about invisible opened in the terminal, something about the “optical connector” to carry out the other terminal and the optical wireless communication. It is described as follows in patent documents.
“Through holes opened in the electronic terminal. Surface of the terminal is used to receive an optical signal through an optical connector, communicate with each other and other electronic devices with optical connectors. Hole size of small that it can not be confirmed visually.”
Wireless charging
As the position of the optical connector with each other is not displaced, the internal terminal is believed that the magnet type connector is mounted. In addition, by the optical connector, so that the wireless charging is finally realized. Expected to whether Apple is to correspond to the “Qi”, which is the international standard for wireless power supply, but is unclear whether you want to add to the made by MFi (Made for iPhone) certification program their own standards, the author Tim Cook to choose the latter to.
With regard to the abolition of the Lightning port, it would not be a big fuss so. With regard to the abolition of the earphone jack, some user et al was a strongly opposed, the idea of Apple did not overturned. Apple aims to wireless world, the cable with the device is becoming a relic of the past. All media will be Tim Cook will not be criticized was misread the feelings of consumers anymore.
Apple, also removes the FD drive or DVD drive from the Mac series, has been abolished the ability to think unnecessary to hardware ever. The company would like to eliminate all of the connectors that bulky fragile, will come into action as much as possible.
Deprecated in iPhone8
To abolish the Lightning port in accordance with the release of the iPhone 8, it can be said that it is the right time for Apple. iPhone 7 is essentially a third generation following the iPhone 6S “6 Series”, “8” will be released in the next year to celebrate the 10th anniversary from the iPhone birth, significant reform of the terminal is expected to . At this stage, but the abolition of the mounting and home buttons of flexible organic EL displays have been rumored, Tech industry is waiting for a more ambitious change.
If the optical connector is achieved, data communication without the use of cables that Apple has been aimed so far, charging, the device can be realized to perform such as the connection of peripheral devices.
And to apply for the company is a large number of patents, such as the Apple, not necessarily to take advantage of the acquired product patent right away was. Also, many patents sometimes submitted for the purpose of preventing the others to get. However, the patent for this time of the optical connector is consistent with the direction of Apple aims, would be close to the date on which the last of the cable that has been left in the iPhone be abolished. The iPhone user, we recommend that you enjoy to the full extent the Lightning cable to one of the now.
Quote source:forbesjapan
First Posted: October 7, 2016