This sounds familiar – smartphone manufacturers have been releasing solutions with similar reverse wireless charging technology for a long time. In Apple’s case, the patent suggests using a MacBook lid, palm rest, or trackpad to wirelessly charge compatible iOS devices.

In this way, the problem is solved when there is no suitable outlet or cable nearby, but a laptop is available. Apple also writes that in some cases it can be cumbersome to take power adapters for each device with you (or they were simply missing from the box when sold).

In addition, in the future, we cannot rule out getting rid of the iPhone from ports in principle – in this case, the wider adoption of wireless charging options can only be welcomed. Interestingly, now the MacBook and iPad cases are made of aluminium, which is incompatible with wireless charging. If Apple is really going to implement reverse wireless charging technology in its devices, it will have to work around this limitation.