A lot of things have gone wireless over the past few years. From internet connections to gaming with your friends, the world is becoming more accessible without the need for physical wires. Over the course of 2018, another aspect of our lives has gone this route: charging one’s device.
Perhaps you’ve already heard of wireless charging and its presence in today’s smartphones, particularly the latest Apple devices. You may have even owned something that could wirelessly charge devices. But, what is wireless charging all about?
Let’s break down the technicalities
Wireless charging is a highly technical concept in the world of electronics. Basically, the way it works is that your charging pad contains coils that give off electromagnetic fields. These fields carry energy with them, which can be converted into electricity to power up the compatible device when placed on the pad.
There are two ways devices can wirelessly charge: inductive charging and resonance charging. Inductive charging is mostly present in low-power charging devices, or ones that require less electricity to power up. This form is limited in range, to the point that the only way your phone charges is if it’s on the pad. Resonance charging, on the other hand, maximizes the range but lessens the amount of charge transferred.

Induction charging
Within the last ten years, several non-profit organizations have created and set wireless charging standards for companies to follow. The most popular of which is the Qi standard established in 2008 by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Other standards include the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) standard in 2012, and Rezence by Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) from 2012 to 2015.
All about that Qi
As mentioned earlier, the Qi standard is the most popular wireless charging standard in the world. Most of today’s smartphones and peripherals are supported by Qi. It was established in 2008, with smartphones first adopting it in 2012 through the Nokia Lumia 920.
Qi focuses primarily on energy regulation. Most charging pads that use this standard work with flat surfaces for better energy distribution. Chargers with the Qi standard regulate the amount of charge they give to devices, and immediately go on standby once full. These chargers only activate once a device is placed on top, saving on the cost of electricity in the process.

Magnetic resonance charging
Most smartphone companies have made the choice to implement the Qi standard in their latest models. Apart from Nokia, companies like LG and Samsung have adopted it beginning with the LG Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy S6, respectively. In 2017, Apple accepted the standard with the release of their iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. The company also planned a charging mat called AirPower that could charge multiple devices all at once, but it has yet to be launched.
Why do most companies prefer Qi, but some don’t?
The goal of the WPC is to put forward one standard for wireless charging in the world. The organization developed the Qi standard in such a way that companies are able to integrate them into their products seamlessly. It’s because of this standard that smartphones are aligned to wireless charging pads through magnets for better charging capacity.
Apart from that, the Qi standard allows for more intelligent control over charging your phone. It can tell if your phone is fully charged and will stop sending electricity to avoid overdoing it. Of course, you’ll be able to maximize the charging capacity of your Qi wireless charger if you’re only charging one device at a time.

Wireless charges for the Razer Phone 2, Google Pixel 3, and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
However, some companies recognize that most people own several smart devices. This is where other organizations like Power Matters Alliance come in. PMA initially used inductive charging as their base for wireless charging, which is what Qi uses, as well. Now, that same organization was able to look into resonance charging, which removes the limitation Qi has.
That’s one of the reasons why Samsung, for example, incorporated both Qi and PMA standards into their Samsung Galaxy S6. With resonance charging, devices can be charged a few centimeters away from the pad. This is especially good for people who use their phones while charging. While WPC is looking to incorporate resonance charging into Qi, certain factors and compatibility issues with devices make the standard less effective.
What does the future hold for wireless charging?
With all the talk about standards and devices, there’s no denying that wireless charging is here to stay. There are talks between the WPC and PMA on possibly coming up with just one true standard for all companies to follow. The best part is that it doesn’t stop there.
Both organizations are looking to expand their technologies beyond smartphones and consumer devices. WPC has already done so with furniture retailers like IKEA to apply wireless charging peripherals to office tables and couches. Meanwhile, PMA is looking to introduce wireless charging to restaurants and establishments, like McDonald’s and Starbucks with wireless-charging tables. It even reached a point wherein tech startups are developing their own hardware for wireless charging from longer distances.
It’s safe to say that the future is definitely bright for wireless charging. Whether companies will start making it a must-have feature for all their products remains to be seen.
Illustrations by MJ Jucutan