Imagine having your mobile phone charged all the time? Is it possible? Not yet, but manufacturers who work on wireless charging allow you to charge your phone on a transmitting pad. How does it work? Is it better than wired charging?
Wireless charging is transferring power from a power outlet to your device without using a charging cable.
You need a power transmitting pad and a receiver. The latter might be either in the form of a case attached to a mobile phone or built into the phone. The transmitting pad must be connected to a socket, so it doesn’t make it “truly wireless.”
How does it work from a technical point of view? Essentially wireless charging is based on inductive charging. When the magnetic plate on the mobile phone comes into contact with the transmitter, it creates a magnetic field, which generates an electrical current in a device. The generated current converts into direct current - also called DC - which eventually charges the battery.
No charging cables are needed anymore! As long as your phone has either an external case or it’s built-in, you just simply place your phone face up on a special mat or tabletop. Once it’s done, your phone will start charging automatically.
The leading and dominant wireless standard is Qi. It has been developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).
Most of the major smartphone manufacturers have adopted Qi as the main wireless charging solution. These are Samsung, Apple, LG, Sony, Huawei, Nokia, Blackberry, and Motorola.
Qi currently has a few power specifications. Essentially it’s low power for charging mobile devices. There are several wattages: 5W is a minimum, 7.5W, 10W, 15W, and 30W on a final note.
Primarily inefficiency in many aspects.
It starts with power inefficiency. Loads of energy are being lost during the charging. On average wired charging has around 85% efficiency, whereas Qi wireless charging around 60%. The newest data says even up to 75%, so it’s safe to assume somewhere in between. Further, a charged device is from a transmitter; the efficiency is depleting. We might be talking here about the extra 30-40% energy used. For individual use, it’s not much, but if we consider the mass of people, counting in millions, this is a significant inefficiency and harm for the environment. Convenience over ecology? It’s your choice.
But it’s worth mentioning that this technology has been developing very fast and year after year, it’s getting more and more efficient.
Convenience in wireless charging can be considered as an ambiguous matter. On one side, no plugging into a mobile phone - stop with annoying cables. But on the other side, whenever you want to reach for your phone, the charging is stopped. With a cable, that isn’t an issue. Sadly, we still have to wait for some time, until wireless charging will work seamlessly for a distance of at least a few feet.
Last but not least - compatibility. Charging by cables is a standard for every phone, but wireless charging is only for selected phones. For this feature, you must have to pay extra. The bright side is that this technology is getting more and more popular; consequently, it’s getting cheaper.
Anker, Logitech, Moshi, Belkin, and Mophie - only to name a few, who offer wireless chargers - mainly mats or pads, but some of them also desk stands.
Well-known Swedish company Ikea has numerous nightstands that have Qi wireless charging built into them.
Below you can find the list of the most popular smartphones with wireless charging features.
Samsung:
Samsung Galaxy Note 20
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Samsung Galaxy Fold
Samsung Galaxy S20 / S20 Plus / S20 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
Samsung Galaxy S10 / S10+
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+
Samsung Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge
iPhones:
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11
iPhone XR
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XS
iPhone X
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8
Google:
Pixel 4 / 4 XL
Pixel 3 / 3 XL
Huawei:
P40 / P40 Pro / P40 Pro+
P30 / P30 Pro
P20 Pro
Mate 20 / Mate 20 Pro / Mate 20 RS
Mate 30 / Mate 30 Pro / Mate 30 RS
Honor 30 Pro / Pro+
Honor V30 Pro
Sony:
Xperia 1 II
Xperia 10 II
Xperia XZ3
Sony Xperia XZ2 / XZ2 Premium
LG:
LG Wing
LG Velvet
LG G8 / G8s / G8X
LG G7
LG G6 (U.S. Versions)
LG V60
LG V50
LG V40
LG V35
LG V30
Nokia:
Nokia 9.3 PureView
Nokia 9 PureView
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia 6 (2018)
Xiaomi:
Mi 10T Pro
Mi 10 / Mi 10 Pro / 10 Lite
Mi 9 / Mi 9 Pro
Mi Mix 3
Mi Mix 2S
Wireless Charging has a bright future ahead. It is not as efficient and convenient as it should be, not making our lives more comfortable, and not harming the environment. However, it’s getting better and better every year, so it's only a matter of time when our phones will be charged while we have them in our pockets, without cables.