• 
  Image courtesy of FrAndroid
  Galaxy Note 8 With S Pen

The Galaxy Note 8 release was announced at this year's Mobile World Congress by Samsung, who revealed that the device will charge wirelessly.

The company was also expected to introduce several other tablets, but instead focused on the new Note 8, which will compete with the iPad Mini when it finally launches.

Both the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S4 will also feature wireless charging, according to a new report.

DigiTimes is now saying that both Apple and Samsung plan on implementing the technology into their flagship smartphones in 2013.

The publication's industry sources have stated that Samsung will use Qi inductive charging for the technology to juice up its flagship device wirelessly. Apple will use its own version that will be developed internally. However, it remains unknown if the next iPhone will come with the feature built-in or if an accessory will have to be purchased in order to be able to charge it wirelessly.

Samsung will use a new back cover on its flagship device that will be used to conduct energy from another surface that will give the battery power.

Follow us

Apple's Phil Schiller shot down the effectiveness of wireless charging in 2012 in an interview with AllThingsD. He basically said that something still has to be plugged into the wall in order to charge the device wirelessly, so it does not make things that much more convenient.

Apple has researched magnetic resonance charging in the past, which is quite different from other methods. This could be what the company ends up using for the iPhone, but Apple is known for not experimenting with new technology unless it is exactly where the company wants it to be in terms of capabilities and availability.