Apple’s iPhone line is expected to catch up with Android phones in the area of wireless charging this year. That means no more plugging in a cord–the proprietary lightning cord–needed to recharge an iPhone’s battery. Instead, just lay the phone down on a compatible charger mat or base or dock, and watch the battery fill up. That’s already the way that Apple Watch owners recharge that gadget.
In February, Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium, an industry standards-setting group behind the Qi wireless charging standard. That was followed by multiple rumors indicating that the three expected new models, dubbed by analysts the iPhone 7S, 7S Plus and 8, would include the ability to recharge their batteries without needing to plug in, just like phones from Samsung, Motorola and others.
