Individual devices can be used with accessories like watches, earbuds, styluses, and the like. And sometimes to provide the capability to charge associated accessories.

Reverse wireless charging is not new to Apple. The Apple Pencil sticks magnetically to the iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini. When in place, it automatically charges from the wireless charging pad mounted on the iPad’s edge.

The MagSafe Battery Pack was revealed later and the pack seems to show two-way wireless charging on the iPhone, or the Battery Pack or both. That’s because when you’re charging the iPhone 13, for instance, via the Lightning cable and the Battery Pack is attached magnetically to the back of the phone, the Battery Pack will be charged as well, wirelessly by the iPhone.

So, the new patent with an interesting look at related Apple patents, gives us a glimpse of what could be coming ahead. It’s wireless charging but done in an unprecedented way as you’ll see from the title of the patent: “Through-Display Wireless Charging”.

This method seems to be a subtle but important step up from the reverse charging systems used on other phones.