Apple’s New Patent Enables Multi-Device with Replaceable Batteries

According to Appleinsider, Apple has been granted a patent titled “Charging Systems for Mobile and Accessory Device”. In this patent, Apple has designed detachable batteries for a range of devices including phones, keyboards, wireless mice, and iMacs, allowing users to easily swap out the battery modules to meet the flexible usage needs of the device. The patent also outlines a system for wireless communication between the battery and a charging station or host. It can monitor and display battery levels while providing wireless charging, akin to how AirPods’ battery levels are displayed in the Control Center. From the perspective of patent terminology, the universal battery standard appears to not only power devices but also provide Macs or other “hosts” with the necessary information to check battery status.

Apple’s engineers are researching how to best make a series of standardized enclosures that would allow users to routinely swap batteries between higher-powered devices like an iMac, and lower powered ones like keyboards or other peripherals.

If implemented, the technology could lead to a universal standard for battery interchangeability and could reduce or eliminate the need to plug every wireless device in to charge it.

The last Apple device with a “user replaceable” battery was the 2009 MacBook, making it 15 years since users could casually swap out batteries on an Apple mobile computing device to keep it going. Apple isn’t alone in using built-in, non-replaceable batteries.

Still, the number of laptops and mobile devices in its lineup means dozens of products rely on regular charging to keep functioning.

In the patent, Apple outlines modular removable batteries of different specifications such as A, B, C and D. According to Apple’s patent, the battery core part uses regular rechargeable batteries, but the outer layer is equipped with a special interface and adopts standardized connection.

The patent also describes a wireless communication system between the battery and the charging station or host, which can monitor and display the battery level while realizing wireless charging, similar to the way the AirPods battery is displayed in the control center.

In the terminology of patent law, it seems that the universal battery standard can not only power the device, but also provide the Mac or other “host” with the information needed to check the battery status. This may be similar to the way an iPhone displays AirPods or AirTag battery level, and applies to any device that uses this battery system.

Earlier, it was reported that the iPhone16 series of model machines flowed out on the Internet. The picture shows the adjustment of the key layout of the new machine. The iPhone16 and iPhone16Plus will use the “function keys” previously equipped only on the Pro series. However, the picture shows that the new “function keys” seem to be larger in size.