iPhone 11 Pro Max hardware points to latent bilateral charging functionality [u]
In its obligatory launch day teardown of iPhone 11 Pro Max on Friday, repair expert iFixit discovered two connectors leading to the handset's battery, a new hardware configuration that could support claims of a deactivated bilateral wireless charging feature.

Source: iFixit
According to the repair firm, iPhone 11 Pro Max's L-shaped battery includes a pair of connectors running to the Lightning charging port and the main logic board, respectively. The new setup could hint at a bilateral wireless charging feature that was rumored to launch with the handset.
In testing the mechanics of the connectors, iFixit found iPhone is able to function and recharge via the Lightning port while the battery connector leading to said Lightning port is disconnected. Wireless charging was disabled, suggesting the cable is a direct line to iPhone's charging coils.
Further, reconnecting the cable temporarily triggered a temperature warning iFixit believes is the result of a loss of contact between the logic board and a critical battery temperature sensor. If true, the design could reveal a currently unused heat management circuit potentially reserved for bilateral wireless charging.
Removing the second battery cable, which connects to iPhone's logic board, expectedly resulted in a complete system shutdown.
While not confirmed, today's tests point to the presence of wireless charging functionality that currently lies dormant in all new iPhone Pro Max models. What is now known, however, is Apple's incorporation of new hardware in iPhone 11 Pro Max, and likely iPhone 11 Pro, without word of significant updates to its wireless charging capabilities; the latest iPhone recharges at the same speed and with the same efficiency as prior models.
Rumors leading up to iPhone 11's unveiling suggested Apple was working on a bilateral charging feature that would enable users to charge a second device, like AirPods or perhaps another Qi-compatible smartphone, using iPhone's internal charging coils. Those rumblings were echoed by multiple industry insiders and persisted until a last-minute prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pegged Apple to abandon the feature because the system failed reach adequate operating efficiencies.
With the hardware seemingly in place, it is possible that Apple will enable bilateral charging in a future iOS update. Whether the company is able to overcome whatever hurdles kept the feature from going live at launch through software is unknown.
Update: iFixit's teardown also revealed an unidentified circuit board nestled beneath the battery that could be tied to Apple's rumored bilateral charging feature.
Further, blogger Rene Ritchie claims iPhone 11 contains no bilateral charging hardware as the feature was never planned to go into production.

Source: iFixit
According to the repair firm, iPhone 11 Pro Max's L-shaped battery includes a pair of connectors running to the Lightning charging port and the main logic board, respectively. The new setup could hint at a bilateral wireless charging feature that was rumored to launch with the handset.
In testing the mechanics of the connectors, iFixit found iPhone is able to function and recharge via the Lightning port while the battery connector leading to said Lightning port is disconnected. Wireless charging was disabled, suggesting the cable is a direct line to iPhone's charging coils.
Further, reconnecting the cable temporarily triggered a temperature warning iFixit believes is the result of a loss of contact between the logic board and a critical battery temperature sensor. If true, the design could reveal a currently unused heat management circuit potentially reserved for bilateral wireless charging.
Removing the second battery cable, which connects to iPhone's logic board, expectedly resulted in a complete system shutdown.
While not confirmed, today's tests point to the presence of wireless charging functionality that currently lies dormant in all new iPhone Pro Max models. What is now known, however, is Apple's incorporation of new hardware in iPhone 11 Pro Max, and likely iPhone 11 Pro, without word of significant updates to its wireless charging capabilities; the latest iPhone recharges at the same speed and with the same efficiency as prior models.
Rumors leading up to iPhone 11's unveiling suggested Apple was working on a bilateral charging feature that would enable users to charge a second device, like AirPods or perhaps another Qi-compatible smartphone, using iPhone's internal charging coils. Those rumblings were echoed by multiple industry insiders and persisted until a last-minute prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pegged Apple to abandon the feature because the system failed reach adequate operating efficiencies.
With the hardware seemingly in place, it is possible that Apple will enable bilateral charging in a future iOS update. Whether the company is able to overcome whatever hurdles kept the feature from going live at launch through software is unknown.
Update: iFixit's teardown also revealed an unidentified circuit board nestled beneath the battery that could be tied to Apple's rumored bilateral charging feature.
Further, blogger Rene Ritchie claims iPhone 11 contains no bilateral charging hardware as the feature was never planned to go into production.
Update: It's my understanding bilateral inductive charging wasn't pulled from the iPhones 11.
It was never slated for production and there isn't anything in there that could be enabled later.
(It would also be dumb to ship it without Watch support...) https://t.co/vXQxM4T3Yf-- Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)

Comments
Putting it out there when it wasn't ready? That would've been a fiasco.
is what they said.
Later on, the article (which to be fair, pointed out that there are a number of reasons why this cable might exist) says it might be something to do with new monitoring hardware Apple is using.
“Jehova! Jehova!”
Bilateral sounds more like the possibility to charge the phone from both sides, screen and back.
That being said, induction is one of the most inefficient ways to charge anything, and it’s not wireless, just contactless. Inductive charging has been a thing for a long time, why marketing speak has been allowed to make up new names for old tech?
That said, marketers make a living out of these changes so the only way to effect change is to not use the term.
Warning annoying/useless/meaningless rant:
I know it is a matter of definition, but totally not inaccurate to say inductive charging is wired since there is a coil i.e. a wire in the phone, there’s a cable to the charging pad where there’s also a coil.
Sure cableless and contactless between pad and phone, but I-can’t-be-wrong-in-internet-wireless it ain’t.
End of rant.
P.S.
Just like beatsx bluetooth headphones aren’t wireless since there is a cord between the speakers. In my mind they are since they’re Bluetooth only. In the end everyone is wrong all the time and I just wasted a minute of everyone’s life... sorry..