solderdude
Grand Contributor
The keyword in my wish for a battery pack was "optional", just in case you missed it, or perhaps you just desire to argue...
Power storage technology is advancing at a good pace, and we'll see graphene based batteries, with much higher capacities, in a few years - as a matter of fact, I've read that Samsung expects to bring the technology to market very soon.
It won't be long before we have wireless power transmission as well, although that technology is still very specific currently. We actually do this now, using microwaves and lasers, for some commercial and military applications, but I don't think that's been scaled down for home usage just yet - it will come, though. I'm aware of wireless mobile device charging now, but that's still applied near-field, and I'm referring to longer range.
In a future, I can see a home with several wired mains scattered about for legacy appliances. But, everything going forward from this point will be wireless - it's inevitably, desirable, and good...
It has nothing to do with a desire to argue. Just noting some of the things I have my reservations about.
Yes, battery technology will improve so will efficiency and wireless technology (when the ether gets even more cramped).
Maybe it can run a bit longer and maybe efficiency of speakers and class-D amps will improve even more.
Wireless charging technology over a few meters in a living room ?
Having 10W traveling through the air (optical will burn your skin) or using high power RF concentrated in a narrow angle ?
Severe doubts about that... in home usage that is safe I mean.
There are already concerns about the safety of mobile phone power with G5 networking.
Data-rates will increase and the whole house and your body will be packed with wireless transceivers.
Technology will be there and the market demands it so it will happen for sure... Do they care about (possible) health issues that much ?
I also have no doubt almost every low power consumption devices will become wireless or be available wireless as well.
All power consuming devices I don't see this happening though.
More mains connections (and 5V DC ?) all around rooms... very likely.
In any case for my loudspeakers at home I don't see benefits when it comes to getting rid of cables.
I do see the benefits of active speakers (and at the same time wonder about longevity and availability of used components over a long time frame).
In this case the wireless part only replaces 2 line level screened cables but not the power connections.
That's my point and has nothing to do with the future which I find hard to predict.
In my youth there was only vinyl, tape and radio for music and only tape and radio were transportable. When folks would have said in 20 years time you could carry along a very small device with thousands of songs on it in high-end sound quality and access to almost all music wireless I would have laughed out loud..
So yes, the future will hold things in store for us that I can not possibly imagine yet.
Personally I am hoping for holographic audio where the direction of soundwaves in all directions is preserved and reproduced.
Hell... having this wireless without having to recharge things within 1 year or maybe even never would be nice to.
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