One of the biggest problems Apple has as it strives to make an ever slimmer iPhone is the size of battery. This is one that even Apple itself has recognised by releasing what has been dubbed the ugliest product apple has ever made, the iPhone charging case.
In the USA, 64% of the population have a smartphone and since iPhones are used by 42% of all smartphone users, it would be in the interest of smartphone makers to make an industry standard for wireless charging. So that any smartphone with wireless charging could be placed on any charger and it would work.
This would open the market to all sort of commercial possibilities, anywhere where you are able to sit for a long period of time could have a table with wireless charging available. This would change coffee shops, cafes, cinemas, driving, airports and public transport experiences forever. It would mean that the user could drive more sales in these places, because it is possible that the user may notice their phone low on battery so they decide to go and get a coffee while they give their phone some extra juice.
This also would relieve pressure from the phone makers, who could then continue to strive for the best design and better technology within their phone without having to put so much thought into battery drainage.
This is something that has already started to take effect, Starbucks announcing in June 2014 that between then and June 2017 it would roll out 100,000 wireless charging pads in it’s stores. But instead imagine the entire coffee table that was a charger and could charge multiple phones placed upon it. That would be, in my opinion, a gamechanger.
A wider rollout would see computer desks in offices keeping its users phone fully topped up while they work.
References:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015/
http://www.cultofmac.com/391531/how-apple-could-revolutionize-wireless-charging-for-iphone/
https://www.qualcomm.com/news/spark/2013/04/19/wireless-charging-glimpse-future
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