Apple packed a lot into its new iPhone 5, but there were a few features they opted to not include this time around. NFC (Near Field Communications) technology and wireless charging were nowhere to be seen.
Though some saw Apple’s Passbook feature as a perfect companion to NFC, Apple opted not to include the technology in the iPhone 5. Passbook is used to store loyalty cards and gift cards as well as things like boarding passes and baseball tickets.
In an interview with AllThingsD, Apple Senior VP Phil Schiller said that Passbook alone does what most customers want and works without existing merchant payment systems.
Schiller says it’s not clear that NFC is the solution to any current problem, adding, “Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today.”
The better battery life in the iPhone 5 is all about the chipset, says Schiller, telling The Verge, “We’re able to get much better power management with the integrated chips.”
As for wireless charging, Schiller pointed out that wireless charging systems still have to plugged into a wall outlet, so he’s not certain how much convenience they add. He adds that USB cord can charge in wall outlets, computers, and even airplanes.
“Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated,” Schiller said.
Why did the company change the dock connector that has been on nearly every iPhone and iPod since 2003? Schiller says it simply wasn’t possible to build products as thin as the new iPhones and iPods without the changes.
Schiller said the change to the “Lightning” connector was not taken lightly by Apple, saying: “This is the new connector for many years to come.”
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