As with the idea of packing a camera into a mobile device all those years ago, wireless charging facilities have been met with the usual dose of skepticism. But while they mightn’t yet be viewed as a necessity, more and more consumers are on the lookout for this feature, and with technologies now advancing, it may well be that soon, we’ll all be ditching those darned wires. Inductive, predominately Qi-based charging solutions have made real headway in the market, but given how inductive charging – by its very nature – requires the device to be in contact with the charging mat, it’s not exactly ideal. It’s for this reason that most are happy to stick with cables, but fairly soon, this could change, with new inroads being made that could allow a device to be powered up from up to two inches away.
Of course, it’s not much of a leap, but it’s definitely a start, and eventually, one could foresee a world where wireless charging systems charge from a meter or so away. Such a situation would completely change the game, no less because it would mean that smartphone and tablet users could gain power without having to consciously consider the actions involved. Still, even though we’ve yet to reach this junction, the signs are definitely promising, and the Wireless Power Consortium – creator of the Qi standard – is ready to dip its toes the world of resonance charging.
As aforementioned, resonance charging enables a device to draw power even when a couple of inches of space exists between the hub and the power pack. Announced by the WPC as part of Qi version 1.2, it’s not necessarily major news on its own – especially given that other standards have already made progress in this regard – but where it might lead in the future after more development is very promising indeed.
Kitchen appliances will be among the first to adopt Qi’s resonance charging, although these products are unlikely to appear on the market until some time in 2015. With this in mind, it’ll be even longer until the major mobile vendors begin to indulge, but given how tedious it can be to constantly locate a charger and also, how frequently they cease to function, let’s hope that Qi – along with other standards that have already touched upon resonance charging – can really drive this scene forward in the mobile industry.
(via: Engadget)
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