Apple explained why the new iPhone 5 does not have wireless charging and NFC

Apple Vice President Phil Schiller gave brief comments to AllThingsD website observers who asked why Apple does not use a number of technologies in its devices that have already appeared in competitors - in particular, it was about wireless charging (one of the "killer features "Lumia 920) and NFC technology used in the flagship Samsung Galaxy SIII.

Schiller explained his company's position as follows: the use of wireless charging still implies the presence of an additional accessory (something like a rug on which to put the gadget), which still needs to be connected to the electrical network - so the convenience here is only that it is not necessary to search for the wire and insert it into the device (for example, in the dark); In addition, most modern gadgets can charge via USB - so the universality of wireless charging is also a big question. Thus, the idea of ​​using some kind of intermediate layer to charge the iPhone is quite controversial.

NFC is not needed because PassBook, which is designed to store and manage electronic copies of documents, various tickets, credit cards and other things, will quite successfully cope with its tasks. Passbook, having geolocation capabilities, can immediately after visiting Starbucks or the subway, write off the necessary amount of money for coffee or travel from the user's account — in other words, do the same thing that the Galaxy SIII does, which must be brought to the NFC reader.
')
Phil Schiller also confirmed the correct guess of the journalists that the new 8-pin Lightning connector was used in the iPhone with the practical purpose of making the device even thinner, which in the case of the old - 30-pin - was difficult to make (the adapter from the old connector to the new one costs $ 29).

[ Source ]