Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller on NFC, Wireless Charging and the Lightning Connector
AllThingsD's Ina Fried caught up with Apple's Phil Schiller after the introduction of the iPhone 5 this afternoon. She asked him about a number of new technologies that did -- and didn't -- make it into the company's new flagship phone.
It’s not clear that NFC is the solution to any current problem, Schiller said. "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today."
As for wireless charging, Schiller notes that the wireless charging systems still have to be plugged into the wall, so it’s not clear how much convenience they add. The widely-adopted USB cord, meanwhile, can charge in wall outlets, computers and even on airplanes, he said.
"Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Schiller said.
Fried also spoke to Schiller about the new Lightning connector. He noted that it wasn't possible to make devices any thinner with the existing 30-pin Dock Connector, though the company doesn't take changing the plug -- which had been around for 9 years -- lightly. "This is the new connector for many years to come," Schiller explained.
Popular Stories
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company.
Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was...
