EVOLUTION OF CHARGERS AND CHARGING SPEED

Introduction

The circuitry to recharge by connecting to any portable device  plays an important part in identifying the battery longevity and the practicalities of using the device on a day to day basis.

Depending upon the size, type and power the respective protocol changes like how much voltage or current, how much time will it take to get recharged, and what after the device is charged.

In 80’s from first appeared titan cell phone chargers couldn’t pump up of your cellphones to survive for a whole day which was of capacity 500mAh, weighted 495g and took upto 10 hours for full charging which was called as the classic DynaTAC and the dynamics are so drastically changed that our most recent research about the charging speed parameter benchmark quotes that the Vivo iQOO7 phone features 120W fast charging speed and its 4,000mAh battery recharges fully from 0 to 100% in just about 18 minutes without any risk .

Getting into History:

Someone who was born in the 1980s can recall life without cell phones. In contrast to smartphones like the iPhone, which are so slim that they can bend in your pocket, early cell phones were giant oversized bricks. Definitely not pocket portable. But while so many people focus on the phone itself, the chargers were equally awkward. Over the years, cell phone chargers have evolved as much as the phones they charge.

Let us get into the journey from large plastic bricks and mini chargers to solar chargers and wearables. 

The prehistoric titan – Motorola DynaTAC

As mentioned earlier the popular Motorola DynaTAC that used nickel cadmium batteries took 10 hours for the charger to recharge.

The medieval cellphone charger- Nokia Cityman

Once the Nickel-Cadmium fashion faded away the nickel metal hydride battery appeared. One of which was the Nokia Cityman 900 which took upto 4 hours to with capacity of recharge 1.000mAh.

Present

The classic and common li-ion batteries cell phone chargers – Wall Charger 

This is the very familiar one for all of us and is most commonly used, which is also called a wall charger which can be connected with either integrated cable that it comes along or to a USB cable. This charges faster, with an average charging time of only 1 hour and weighted around 100g which was considered a breakthrough in mobile charging back then.

The USB Cable

Another form of charger that we are all familiar with. It has an average charging time of 3 hours, depending on what you choose. The USB cable charger also has data transfer capabilities, which add to its versatility. The only downside is that since it is connected to a computer instead of a power charger, charging time is four times slower than a traditional charger.

When it comes to USB cable networks there is always one host and one device. The majority of the time the computer is the host and your appliance is the device. Power flows from the host to the device however data can flow freely between. A USB cable has four wires and a USB socket has four pins. The outside pins provide a 5 volt power supply in combination with the inside pins which carries the data.

Here are some types of USB cables: The type of USB refers to the physical shape of the plug.

USB Type-A: The classic USB plug that we are all familiar with, the Type-A USB is the larger standard rectangular plug. Whilst it’s gone through a number of changes to accommodate different versions of USB, the design of the plug remains the same, which means that all Type-A plugs and sockets are compatible no matter what version they are.

USB Type-B: Usually the other end of a USB cable uses a Type-B connector. The Type-B plug is the tall plug with the slanted top corners. Variations on Type-B have been widely adopted due to the sheer necessity of having smaller plugs at the client device end. The mini USB and micro USB are also variations of Type-B.

USB-C: The headline feature of the USB-C is that it’s reversible. It’s designed to be small enough to not need any mini or micro variants. The intention is that it will completely replace all types of USB on both host and client devices. It is entirely different from its predecessors. The connector is universal and therefore it will work when used either way. It also outputs more power, as well as the theoretical output. There are also plenty of USB chargers that don’t fit into this specification, such as AC adapters.

• Portable power bank

This caters to the needs of consumers who are always on the go. The portable power bank can recharge mobile phones in 3 hours, and most come with a built-in USB charger. You can choose from either a high-capacity or a low-ranked portable power bank.

• Wireless charger or inductive charger

Wireless chargers such as the Bezalel Futura X last longer than traditional chargers and are one of the most comfortable alternatives, as you don’t need to plug and unplug the power cord. It uses inductive charging and rids you from those annoying cables and plugs. Wireless chargers refill the charge on your phone in 2 hours and typically weigh 93 grams. This technology has been around since 2013, but it hasn’t gone mainstream yet.

It is believed that by 2023, there will be a shipment of 2.3 billion wireless chargers & 6 billion wireless charging compatible phones. However, if these chargers became more practical and frictionless, no one can stop it from being the most used method for charging.

• Solar mobile charger

As its name implies, this charger is powered by sunlight. To determine how many hours of direct sunlight you need to fully charge your mobile device, simply follow this formula: amperes per hour of the battery/amperes per hour of the charger + 10%.

• Car charger

This comes in different types depending on the car model. Some car manufacturers like General Motors and BMW have integrated theirs with wireless charging capabilities

On the other hand, other cars charge phones the traditional way by connecting your charging cable through an adapter that re-purposes your cigarette lighter. There are also certain car models that come with a USB port that you can use as a charger. Both are powered by the car’s battery.

• Charging kiosk 

The charging kiosk is one of the most advanced alternatives for charging your cell phone nowadays. It looks like a lifeless robot and it encapsulates a large sum of chargers for various cellphone models. The charging kiosk is very easy to operate and extremely secure, as it follows some strong security rules with passwords, secret keys and password reassu-rances. The charging time when it comes to the charging kiosk is no more than two hours, being two times faster with the optional Qi wireless charger.

• Fast charging

Fast charging is an increasingly popular feature that allows you to power up your device in just a fraction of the time it takes to do it the old-fashioned way. But not all products use the same type of fast charging—and not all chargers support the various standards. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you’re getting the fastest charge possible.

With basic chargers outputting 5V/1A equalling to 5W of power, anything faster than that is considered quick or fast charging. The output of a charge is measured in amperage and voltage. Amperage (or current) is the amount of electricity flowing from the battery to the connected device, while voltage is the strength of the electric current. Multiplying volts by amps gives you wattage, the measure of total power.

To make a device charge faster, most manufacturers either boost the amperage or vary the voltage in order to increase the amount of potential energy. The majority of fast charging standards typically vary the voltage rather than boost the amperage.

Standard USB 3.0 ports output at a level of 5V/1A for smaller devices like wearables. Most phones and other devices are capable of handling 5V/2.4A. For fast charging, you’re looking at something that bumps the voltage up 5V, 9V, 12V, and beyond, or increases amperage to 3A and above.

Qualcomm Quick Charge: Qualcomm Quick Charge technology is the number one method for fast charging.  Quick Charge 5 is the world’s Fastest Commercial Charging Solution delivering astonishing charging speeds of up to 0-50% in five minutes while enabling new battery technology, accessories, and safety features. Quick Charge enables charging speeds of up to 0-50 in five minutes, with 100W+ charging power with our new Dual Charge technology. Charge smartphones and devices up to 10 degrees C cooler, up to 4X faster, and up to 70% more efficiently than with previous solutions. Quick Charge enables a single accessory to address a variety of charging implementations in mobile devices, supporting 250+ mobile devices and 1000+ accessories.

Conclusion

Since mobiles nowadays are so essential for human lives, not having a charged phone could be life-threatening. The global electric vehicle charging stations market size was valued at USD 39.70 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 100.96 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 23.24% during the forecast period. The electric vehicle industry is growing rapidly around the world, especially in China and the United States. Inventions in this field don’t have any limits.

It has been over 22 years ever since the first iMac was unveiled. It has come a long way, evolving significantly over the years. Apple has led the innovations for the digital world, known for constantly pushing the boundaries; even when it comes to iMac, they’ve helped laid down strong bases for availing powerful personal computers to customers for decades to come.

From getting powered by Power PC, then having a long run with the Intel Line-up, now to their in-house Apple chips, the developers are innovation-driven, trying to create marvels having a substantial impact on humanity. Then, Vice-President of Industrial Design, John Ive, helped create the Futuristic yet Retro-looking computer.

iMac G3

The Original iMac’s design looked staggering and impressive. A complete revelation from the beige boxes, it was a computer full of firsts. iMac G3 became Apple’s computer from the Internet era and eventually commenced their ‘i’ branding. It revolutionized the entire computing world with sonic and vibrant hues, proving that computers can look fabulous. The vibrant colours displayed nerve and came off as a bold statement in the era of ambiguity. Sydney’s Bondi Beach allegedly inspired the first colour, ‘Bondi Blue’, chosen for the iMac. Later, assorted colours like Strawberry, blueberry, tangerine, lime, and grape were announced by the founder Steve Jobs.

It embellished the computers and empowered users to express themselves goaded on to another level. Set-off a fashion statement; these also motivated makers to continue their line of Veblen goods. The developers used translucent plastics for engineering the colourful macs, but it was a strenuous task.  Steve Jobs mentioned that these plastics didn’t exist when the company started with their research. It took them over six months to achieve the desired colour. These different iMac flavours were rolled out until 2003 when the next-generation iMac G4 replaced them. The G4, again leading from the front, introduced LCDs to mainstream computers. It took them less than a year to release an outright change in design.

iMac G4

The comparatively lighter display adjusts to an agile arm mounted above the computer on its half-sphere base, evocating the Luxo lamp from Pixar’s famous short film and logo. It has been nicknamed ‘iLamp’ because of its pivoting monitor. Fascinatingly, the G4’s was the only one with external speakers, which came in pairs of orbs, where developers collaborated with Harmon Kardon. Every other iMac had integrated speakers, which worked decently, nothing too significant in comparison. Alongside the G4, an eMac was made available at lower prices for the education market.

iMac G5

Then came the G5s, which astonishingly looked similar to the Intel-based iMacs, which are being used today. An LCD monitor is attached to a simple aluminium frame. Intending to minimalize the product design, all the I/O were thrown at the back, exactly like the ones we have on our desktops today, built from the white polycarbonate material, trying to accomplish a brand image, sharing with their iPod line-up.

At the inception of the Intel-based iMacs, the G5 design was carried on, having changes on the internals. These packed all the components required to provide that slim feel. These iMacs remarked to have 1920 x 1200 display panels, offering the first 1080p content.

2007 brought in a complete material change over, discarding the polycarbonate and using the richness of aluminium and glass. An aluminium frame surrounded the glass display with glass bezels rounded in each corner. This redesign lasted for three generations until 2009 October.

New Era of iMacs

The 2009 Unibody iMac has an incompressible front angle to the latest iMacs, but they differ in thickness and offer optical drives. Powered by intel chips on the inside, it consisted of new displays of 21.5 and 27 inches, with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Using aluminium and glass as primary materials for the outer physique made the iMacs deservingly more opulent. The wide, now LED-backlit panels were beautifully crafted for creative processes and media consumption.

Apple was determined on making the iMacs even thinner, and persisting on it drove them to create a modern engineering marvel. It was launching the new, a slim unibody iMac, with a powerful Intel processor. Laced even thinner display, cued with a laminated panel coated by a plasma deposition process, made it 75% less reflective. “Isn’t it amazing how something new makes the previous thing instantly look old?” Marketing SVP Phil Schiller commented during the reveal.

It was 2014, and the retina display came into action. The display doubled the pixel count on both sides in 4K, designated ‘Retina Display’. First witnessed on the 27-inch model, and later on, the 21.5-inch, 5K and 4K panels provided the maker’s tough challenge with the internals. They had to make changes on every internal part to support such high resolution.

Even though the iMac’s design was moving forward on the exterior architecture, the developers faced another limitation – the slow, spinning hard drive. The Solid-State Drives (SSDs) were too costly an option, so Apple’s solution was the Fusion Drive. A hybrid storage option that combined the performance of a solid-state drive with the capacity of a traditional hard drive by fusing two separate volumes in software. We keep in mind that it hasn’t been the same since G3; combining essential internet accessibility and the minimalism of Mac was enough to exceed current expectations. Apple had to deliver something significant.

2017, where the iMacs become even more powerful and professional. iMac Pro arrives, with top-end specs, specifically targeting a particular portion of customers. True to the innovation drive of Apple, they once again added even brighter and more pixelated, colour-accurate displays. It fit right with the needs of creative professionals, having more powerful hardware, luminescent display, and that fluent Apple ecosystem. The iMac Pro wasn’t just a more powerful device; it had been completely re-engineered. Thin Aluminium frame surrounded 5K display, and the new Space Grey colour distinguished it from other Macs, quite apparent that you’re glancing at an iMac with extraordinary configuration.

The iMac Pro is a beast, but it couldn’t burgeon.  It doesn’t receive enough love from the developers as well, making it unsure whether the line-up might see another ‘Pro’ variant to exist going forward.

The Latest iMac

The Latest iMac 2021 comes with an Apple-designed M1 Arm-based Chip, discontinuing the intel line. Apple Silicon Chip has revolutionized the MacBook, offering colossal battery life and performance improvements, now promises the same boost to the all-in-one desktops. The M1 chip Geekbench performance scores of the entry-level iMac destroy all other Macs ever to be built, even those priced higher, including Mac Pro 2019, which itself is a potent computer ever to be made.

The iMac on the outside had been strikingly similar to a date, but a complete redesign cut thick bezels that wrapped the glass screen. The design is now skinny, so much that the 3.5mm headphone jack can’t connect perpendicularly. The iMacs this time around have offered seven vibrant colours to choose from, just like old times. A tidy bit quieter, as the thermals of M1 Chip come to action, allowing the integration seamlessly and efficiently. An improved facetime, updated to 1080p offering superior video calls, has become new norms during these distorting times.

Apple starts shipping these new iMacs from 2021, but the inventiveness doesn’t come to a halt, as they are constantly working on creating products for the future and try to lead it from the forefront. Rumours suggest that Apple is developing Apple pencils that are compatible with the iMac, which could be remarkable for many creators. The M1 is also tweaked to function even better, eventually becoming M2, increasing the performance gap even wider against its rival competitors. Research on a compatible display by increasing the pixel count, which flabbergastingly has been degraded to a 4.5K display this time.

The foreseeable future of the iMac looks brighter than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupt had witnessed increasing work from home situations, and the employable users require a powerful desktop computer, which increases demands drastically. Even Apple services and ecosystem advantages are providing a vital boost to these computers. Not to count out the innovation-driven mindset of Apple to exceed expectations accounts for the memorable success of iMacs. John Ive sums it up clearly as he said Apple’s approach was to “evolve a solution until it seems completely inevitable, completely essential.”

iMac is an uncompromising tale of innovation, an endless evolution for one of humankind’s most incredible engineering marvels. A corroboration that flickering vision does come true.