The MagSafe connector promoted by Apple on the MacBook Pro may return in the future, and Apple is studying the use of the revised version as an alternative to Lightning, as it may move to a “portless” iPhone design.
The introduction of MagSafe as a way to connect accessories to the iPhone and improve wireless charging reminds some people of its predecessor. The use of the original MagSafe branded connector allows safe charging of the MacBook Pro.
The central idea of the system is to allow the power cord to be pulled away from the MacBook because it is held in place by a magnet. Doing so means that there are fewer accidents when the MacBook is pulled by the power cord that the user tripped and flew from the surface to the ground.
The switch from MagSafe connectors to USB-C connectors has prompted people to make alternatives, for those who are still worried about the potential safety hazards. This includes the Vinpok Bolt-S cable, which mimics the main functions of MagSafe but can be used on modern MacBook models.
At the same time, it was also suggested that the iPhone’s long-lasting Lightning port may be at risk. There are rumors that the portless iPhone may be available soon, and the Lightning port will be cancelled to make the iPhone more waterproof and improve its aesthetics.
It is said that Apple is also developing software and hardware solutions to restore the iPhone without using a traditional physical data cable connection. This once again paved the way for portless iPhone design.
In a patent entitled “Magnetic Surface Contact” granted to Apple by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday, Apple seems to have proposed the idea that MagSafe can return and can be implemented on the iPhone.
The original MagSafe consisted of a series of shallow pins stored in a rectangular section that fit into a specific groove on the side of the MacBook. The contact in the middle of the groove will touch the pogo pin in the plug, allowing current to flow while still being easily separated.
Among the various ideas, a common feature is that the magnet is used not only to hold the connector in place, but also to affect the position of the pin itself. Apple recommends using magnets to initiate and maintain the connection between the contacts, rather than using the force of a spring to press the pins into place.
By using a floating contact fixed in the plug by a combination of magnetic force and spring, the contact can move freely while still remaining connected.
Similarly, the contacts in the receiving device can be similarly designed and can be retracted magnetically into the port for storage. The same contact can be pulled into place by external magnetic force, which is stronger than the version that pulls the contact to the storage position.
Some of the designs used are conceptually similar to the original MagSafe connector. The image at the end of the patent shows that the concept can be improved into different forms.
A variant is to fix the floating contacts in the connector in a dome conductive housing that does not move. The contact can move within the housing, and it is possible to send current from itself through the housing at the point of contact with the housing.
This alternative design also shows that the receiving connector in the device can be very shallow and smooth, instead of using pins that protrude from a flat edge. This allows the connector to be at an angle to the device, making it easier to use and separate.
More interestingly, the images of the latter variant seem to indicate that it can be used on a thin device basis, such as the iPhone. Although there is no guarantee that Apple will really pursue this connector, it does indicate that the company believes it may be an addition to the iPhone design.
The patent lists its inventors as Hani Esmaeili, Eric S. Jol, Ibuki Kamei, Daniel C. Wagman, Albert J. Golko, Mahmoud R. Amini and Mani Razaghi Kashani. It was originally submitted on April 10, 2018.
This is not Apple’s first attempt to improve the connectors used on the device, as it is a topic that recurs in other documents. This includes ideas such as a compressible sheath for waterproof sealing, and a recent method to limit cable wear.
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Apple is using the MagSafe brand for the iPhone 12 magnetic wireless charging device, so there is indeed a version of MagSafe for iPhone.
In fact, a direct question is-do the two magnets “play well” together? ? If there are other things near the phone, such as hotel room access cards, will they be erased? As for getting rid of the connector port and improving the aesthetics-who would look at the bottom of the phone that way? The new charm of using magnets in the iPhone recently is really amazing.
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Post time: Jun-25-2021