Aircharge and the BMW Group have signed a global deal to provide an exclusive, customised Wireless Charging Case for iPhone to take full advantage of the new in-car wireless ecosystem, which debuted in the new BMW 5 Series Sedan earlier this year.
The 2017 BMW 5 Series is the first car on the market to be released with a completely wireless infotainment solution, meaning iPhones are able to wirelessly integrate with the BMW iDrive system by connecting to the car over Bluetooth instead of through a traditional Lightning cable.
Integrating the smartphone into the vehicle’s system allows the iPhone to be operated directly via the screen in the car, the iDrive Touch Controller, voice commands or gestures, avoiding potential distractions whilst at the wheel. Where heavy usage of apps, navigation and music may translate in a drained battery at the end of the drive, the addition of wireless charging solves this issue by keeping the device fully powered whilst in operation.
With Apple yet to launch a smartphone with the wireless charging function integrated into its hardware, the German carmaker went to wireless charging leader Aircharge to design an exclusive case to instantly add on these capabilities and bring wireless charging to BMW owners.
The Aircharge iPhone wireless charging case features a hard shell to protect the phone and tactile finish that gives a pleasing feel, along with a total black look and engraved the BMW Group’s branding on the front and back.
All Aircharge case models carry the official “Made for iPhone” (MFi) certification by Apple and are also certified to the global wireless charging standard Qi, meaning they are built to the highest quality standards and conforms to the highest industry certifications. Once added, users can simply place the phone into the in-car wireless charger to recharge the battery without the need for a cable.
This feature is also useful for charging at home using an Aircharge or other Qi wireless charger, and on the go in any of the 4,000 plus public wireless charging locations the Aircharge locator app offer access to, including restaurants, cafés, airport, train stations and hotels.
The BMW Group offers in-car phone wireless charging as a standard in the 6 and 7 series and as an option on the rest of the range. The Aircharge case is currently available for iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 5, 5s and SE models and can be purchased through BMW Group’s online retail channels and stores.