Apple wants to enable wireless charging between its devices

A new patent from Apple showed up on the United States Patent & Trademark Office's website titled "Inductive charging between electronic devices". Inductive charging is the method used to wirelessly charge devices, but currently the process is only one way – from the charger to the device. Apparently, Apple could be planning to change that and allow devices to trade battery life or just use the one you have plugged in to charge others.

The patent describes various devices, one part of it is about integrating induction coils in MacBook laptops. There are three proposed locations: on either side of the trackpad or directly under it. This will allow you to charge your iPhone or iWatch by simply placing them on your laptop. While that might be disruptive while you're using the laptop, people that use external monitors, keyboards and mice will find it very useful. 

Another interesting detail from the application is the mention of a device that consists only of a housing, a battery and inductive coils. We already know about Apple's AirPower wireless charger, but the patent suggest that the charger (or a future version of it) will have its own battery storage for use on the go.

This technology will give users flexibility when they are separated from the power grid and need to use one device more than another. If we are to guess what Apple's vision for the future is, they want you to be able to charge your AirPods with your iPad, your iPhone from your MacBook and every other combination of products you can think of.

source: US Patent Office via AppleInsider