Apple may add wireless charging technology to the iPhones as early as 2017. The innovative wireless technology may help the iPhones and iPads to get remotely charged without being placed on a mat or charging plate. The current iPhone models including iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 5, 5c and 5s can be juiced up via an iPhone wireless charger or wireless charging pad.

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple may deploy a new wireless charging technology which will enable users to charge the iPhone from a distance, unlike current smartphones. Wireless charging is already available on smartphones from Samsung, Sony and Google. But the current wirelessly charged smartphones need to be near a charging plate.

Apple CEO Tim Cook foresees a drop in Apple iPhone sales in the second quarter ending March 2016, for the first time in more than a decade. Introduction of new technologies may help boost the iPhone sales and take it to the top.

Related: Apple’s iPhone super-growth era weakens

iPhones and iPads account for more than three quarters of Apple’s revenue. Thus, it is believed that the new long distance wireless charging technology would give an edge and help Apple augment its sales.

Previously, the Cupertino-based tech giant has filed several patents regarding the introduction of wireless charging technology into its range of devices. A patent application filed in 2010 outlines a concept called near-field magnetic resonance. The patent titled ‘wireless power utilisation in a local computing environment’ explains how an iOS device can be wirelessly charged via iMac at a distance of 1 meter.

Earlier in October 2015, according to Patently Apple , the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application filed by Apple to introduce a new concept of hybrid inductive charging system to its iOS devices. This new wireless charging technology can work with any additional hardware, says the report.

However, it would not be the first time for Apple to try wireless charging. Apple Watch uses a technique called induction which juices up the wearable device within a few millimeters from the power source.

It remains to be seen whether iPhone 7 wireless charging would be available in 2017. Apple has yet to release a statement about its next new iPhone.

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