Apple Could be Working on a iPhone/iPad Dock with Integrated Display and Inductive Charging

RaduTyrsina · Mar 13, 2015

Apple is known to file countless patent applications and most of them never turn out to become real products or features. Still, it's pretty curious to have a look at what Apple might be planning behind the curtains. One of the most recent inventions show that Apple might be interested in developing a 'smart' docking solution for iPhone and iPad users.

According to the patent filling, the deck would supports multiple accessories and it would feature a display, a touchpad, advanced gesture controls, wireless communications and even inductive charging. Here are some more details:

Apple has in the past manufactured simple docks for iPhone and iPad, which can perhaps be more accurately described as glorified stands, but the company has not yet released such an accessory for its latest iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus handsets. Today's patent application could be the basis of a more evolved product, one that includes features seen on docking solutions from third-party manufacturers.

As published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's application for a "Docking station with audio output" details a dock that integrates a display, proximity sensors, a wireless communications package for transferring data and remotely controlling Internet connected devices, touchpad control and more.

In its most basic form, Apple's invention is a basic charging stand that charges an iOS device via a Lightning connector insert. Like the most recent iPhone 5/5s dock, audio is passed through a digital-to-analog converter and sent out through a headphone jack, while a rear connector accepts power from an adapter. Along with the main portable device, however, the dock also supports one or more accessories.

Who knows, maybe Apple will indeed create such a product, especially know that the Apple Watch is around. Apple's docking station patent application was first filed for in September 2013 and credits a couple of Apple employees as its inventors.

Source: AI