Is Apple’s MagSafe coming to iPad 3?

Will Apple’s latest patent conquest see MagSafe coming to iPad and iPhone?

At present, no one is sure. You see Apple filed a patent for a MagSafe-like connector back in 2010 for iOS devices. This week, that patent was granted. So will we see MagSafe connectors on the iPad 3 and iPhone 5?

Not likely, says Gizmodo. ‘You see, listed in the US Patent and Trademark Office's 20 approved patents yesterday for Apple, the magnetic connector's usage applies to "a portable device such as a laptop, tablet computer, cell phone, media player, or the like." Nowhere in the patent is iOS device compatibility mentioned—though it's definitely suggested.’

Closer inspection of the patent application reveals that it’s not actually MagSafe for iOS, but a similar type of connector – one that’s MagSafe-esque.

The patent application specifically refers to the technology as a ‘magnetic coupling, with housings being referred to as having magnetic qualities and cooperating with another housing to form an enclosure of the electronic device,’ says Gizmodo.

There’s no reference to the application being specifically used for charging purposes. But seeing as there’s only one port on the iPad and iPhone, it’d have to have charging properties – if it didn’t, it’d be pretty stupid.

Here’s the official line via Patently Apple:

‘According to Apple's patent, the connector 62 may be a power connector such as the MagSafe power connector manufactured by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The MagSafe power connector utilizes a magnetic attraction to help retain a corresponding connector thereto. You could see connector 62 in Apple's patent figures 8A and 8B above which is part of the device noted in patent figure 7. That could be an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.’

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