Interview: Schiller on NFC, induction charging, Lightning
updated 05:55 pm EDT, Wed September 12, 2012
New iPhone cable necessary for thinner devices
While the new iPhone 5 is a significant upgrade from the iPhone 4S, Apple has chosen to not include two hotly anticipated technologies -- near field communication, and wireless induction charging. Apple Senior Vice President has explained the absence of both technologies, and the rationale behind the new iPhone connector in a post-announcement interview.
In regards to near field communication, Schiller said that NFC didn't seem to be the answer to any question being posed by consumers. According to Schiller, Passbook, Apple's storage utility for loyalty cards, gift cards, boarding passes, and baseball tickets addresses the tasks customers need today.
Schiller pointed out that even induction charging systems such as found in the Nokia Lumia 920 still need to be plugged into an AC socket or other powered USB port, so overall user convenience may not be enhanced by the technology. “Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated,” Schiller said.
Addressing the controversial change in dock connector, Schiller said that there was no way to build products as thin as the newly announced devices without changing the cord and socket. He added that "This is the new connector for many years to come." The previous connector has been in use since the third-generation iPod's release in April 2003, and has been both a USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 sync cable in its lifetime. [via AllthingsD]
