Li-Fi is a concept you may not be familiar with, but there are indications Apple is toying with it for inclusion on future iPhones.
Using pulses of light to transmit information, Li-Fi receivers (like a future iPhone, if Apple has its way) will take in that transmission, then translate it into an electric signal.
Because it uses light to send data, Li-Fi may be found in the connected home via accessories like lightbulbs.
Li-Fi testing is already imminent. May appear in the next iPhone 7 according to iOS code in iOS 9.1 firmware. pic.twitter.com/MPK65QwLvp
— Chase Fromm (@kyoufujibaya) December 31, 2015
Apple’s work with Li-Fi compatibility has been spotted in code for iOS 9.1, which simply notes Li-Fi capabilities. There’s no indication elsewhere that Apple is working with Li-Fi.
But, there’s indication Apple has had Li-Fi in mind for a while. AppleInsider points to a 2013 patent application for a device that sounds an awful lot like a Li-Fi transmitter.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
While I’m not expecting Apple to include Li-Fi in the iPhone 7 — mainly because the technology is barely being tested in the real world — it could help push Li-Fi forward by making iPhones compatible.
➤ iOS code shows Apple experimenting with ultra fast, light-based Li-Fi wireless data for future iPhones [AppleInsider]
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.