Apple to finally support wireless charging with iPad cover

Plugging your Apple device into the mains could soon be a thing of the past, as a new patent filing by the company has suggested the iPad could soon come with wireless charging capabilities.

The filing is for "Integrated Inductive Charging in Protective Cover," indicating that a tablet cover for wireless charging could be on its way. When the iPad's protective cover is closed, the device would detect it and begin charging via the inductive mat.

This is a first for Apple, and might also mean that wireless charging for the iPhone or other Apple devices may be in the works. As GeekWire points out, the move would mean that Apple could make their products even thinner than the current line-up.

The Apple Watch, set to be launched on Monday, will come with its own inductive charger, which connects via the watch's back and charges it without traditional wires. Because of this, speculation that the same system could be introduced for the iPad and iPhone doesn't seem so far off the mark.

Earlier this week, IKEA announced its own range of wireless charging furniture as part of the Home Smart Initiative. Using the lamps and bedside tables with charging capabilities, battery for devices such as the Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G3 could be topped up wirelessly.

"Through research and home visits, we know that people hate cable mess," Jeanette Skjelmose, business area manager Lighting and Wireless Charing, said in a statement. "They worry about not finding the charger and running out of power. Our new innovative solutions, which integrate wireless charging into home furnishings, will make life at home simpler.

"We have created smart wireless solutions so you don't need to see the cables anymore. Many products can be charged at the same time, but you still have a beautiful wireless home."

Last year, Microsoft and Nokia revealed a pair of trousers that could charge the wearer's phone using the same method. Admitting the venture was "a bit of a hack," Nokia Devices' head of marketing Adam Johnson said. "We don't see a mass-market opportunity for wireless-charging trousers."