The days of looking for the nearest outlet to plug your iPhone into may be coming to an end, or at least, slowing down.
The New York Times is reporting that Apple is testing out new ways to charge their devices, which will keep the intervals between wall-charging longer than they are now. According to their source, the company is experimenting with solar charging, which could still be a few years away, magnetic induction technology, and motion-powered charging. These experiments are still considered to be in their test phases, so they won't be in products released, at the earliest, later this year. These new methods of charging are said to be for future smartphones and wearables, such as the mysterious and currently unannounced iWatch.
The iWatch may depend on this technology more than any device in Apple's lineup, since consumers likely won't want another device they'd have to charge every few hours. Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch came under criticism for the limited duration its battery could hold a charge. If Apple could get a hold on this technology, it would help them develop a substantial selling point to other rival wearables, such as the Gear and Pebble.
[via NY Times]
