Samsung has patented a wireless charging smartphone case, capable of powering a separate wearable device, like the Gear S3. In the patent released last week, it showed how the case would be able to send energy from the smartphone to the wearable, as a top up.
It is another solution Samsung has proposed to fix the problem of lackluster battery life on its smartwatches. Many customers are still put off by the meager battery life, which usually is unable to last over a day with moderate use.
Samsung’s high-end flagship smartphones have been able to maintain over a day battery life with heavy usage, so it makes sense that owners of the Galaxy S8 and Gear S3, for example, should be able to move some of the energy from one device to the other.
Even though the patent shows the possibility, Samsung has yet to make the case official. We see thousands of patents every year that hint at what manufacturers are up to, but often it turns out to be nothing more than an idea.
Samsung has shown other ways it could improve battery life for its smartwatches, including movement that generates energy and solar charging. Neither of these ideas has made it to the company’s current selection of wearables.
See Also: Wearable sales to double by 2021, says IDC
The company has started to see some growth in the wearables market, although it is sorely behind Apple and Xiaomi in total sales.
The Gear S4, Samsung’s next smartwatch update, is expected to launch before the end of the year.
