It would be great to never charge your smartphone, or if it charged without any contact while connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot. Unfortunately, today no manufacturer can promise you this, but there is a way to forget about the need to connect a charging cable. It's about the so-called. Today, the Qi standard is actively developing, and many devices already support it. Let's see what it is and whether we should use it.
So, as already mentioned, wireless charging allows you to recharge the battery of the device without connecting a power cable to it. However, the charging contact is still needed, and the device will not start charging until it is placed on a special platform or charging mat. Some devices natively support wireless charging technology, and the necessary elements are built into the case, and some devices can be taught to charge wirelessly using a special case, which, however, seriously increases their size.
Supported devices are charged using induction, which means that the element that is needed for wireless charging is nothing more than a coil that is affected by charging using electromagnetic fields. This process occurs imperceptibly to the human eye. The only thing you will see is the battery charge indication on the smartphone screen.
Why is this needed?
In fact, using a charging cable is not convenient enough. Cables wear out, get tangled up and get lost. It is much more convenient to have a platform that is always in the same place, at home and at work. The Qi standard is now widespread, and today wireless charging can be found in cafes, hotels and many other places. This is more convenient than looking for an outlet and cable suitable for your smartphone.
Finally, the last and most non-obvious plus can be appreciated by the owners of devices protected from moisture. When there is no need to connect a cable, there is no need to open the cap on the case, which wears out quickly enough and is not very convenient.
And what are the disadvantages?
I would like to say that they are not, but it is not. The main disadvantage of wireless charging technology is less energy efficiency. The smartphone will not charge as quickly as when the cable is connected, and the electricity will be used less efficiently, and part of it will be lost as heat. However, slow smartphone charging should not bother you if you can always put your smartphone on the mat at home or at work.
Another drawback is the rather high cost compared to conventional chargers. This is a more complex technology, and another nuance follows from this. Wireless charging is quite difficult to integrate into a device that is too thin.
What devices support wireless charging?
Almost every modern device supports wireless charging, but some, like the iPhone, will not be able to charge without an additional accessory. Devices from Asus, Google, HTC, Cat, LG, Kyocera, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony and Yota Devices support wireless charging. A complete list of such devices can be found at this link.
According to AndroidPit
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There are situations when the cable for charging the gadget cannot supply power due to the fact that there is no outlet or no electricity. Then wireless charging for the phone will come to the rescue, which works autonomously, does not take up much space.
How does a cordless phone charger work?
The principle of operation of the device is based on QI technology. It assumes the absence of wires or the use of contacts, the basis of its work is the action of electromagnetic waves. The question of how wireless charging works can be answered - according to the principle of an inductive coil, a magnetic circuit. The device consists of 2 coils - transmitting and receiving, the first is needed to create an electromagnetic field, and the second - for current. Interacting with each other, they create a current through the transmitter, receiver, stabilize it, bringing it directly to the smartphone.
In order to charge the phone, you only need to put it on a special stand. Charging can be carried out and maintained anywhere - at home, in the car, taken with you on trips or long trips. Some countries install similar devices in a cafe when a person comes there, and while waiting for an order, he charges the phone. It turns out simply, quickly, conveniently.
What are the benefits of a wireless charger
The benefits of a charger include:
- ease of use when it can be used at home, in a car or cafe;
- the ability to charge several gadgets at the same time;
- phones with wireless charging are becoming more common;
- the charge is made at a distance of up to 4 cm or closer;
- charging consumes the least possible energy;
- its electromagnetic field is safe for humans;
- for some models, it is sold immediately as a kit with a cell phone, so as not to buy additionally;
- automatically turns off when it reaches 100% charge;
- low cost, long shelf life.
How efficient is a wireless phone charger
The disadvantages of wireless charging for the phone are not deprived:
- Through it, you can only recharge certain models of gadgets. So, you can’t charge an iPhone through it, but Samsung Galaxy or Nexus can.
- To charge some smartphone models, you will have to buy a special case through which the process will be performed. This includes certain costs.
- Wireless charging your phone charges at a slower rate than with a standard cable.
- When charging, the device with the gadget gets very hot.
- When charging, the mobile may receive distorted radio signals.
Where to buy and how much
Portable charger for the phone is sold in conventional electronics chains or online stores. The range of prices in electronics stores varies depending on the manufacturer: for universal chargers, the cost ranges from 2 thousand to 2500 rubles, for branded ones - from 3 thousand rubles. In online stores, you can buy a device much cheaper: for universal ones they ask from 900 to 2 thousand rubles, and branded ones are not sold or offered at the same price as in large networks.
how to charge Galaxy S7 and S7 edge faster on wireless charging [updated 04/03/2016]
Wireless Qi chargers, for the most part, output a standard 1 ampere of load (voltage 5 volts).
However, smartphones are already equipped with built-in charging systems that can accept a large load (up to 1.4 amperes, according to Samsung), so they can charge from a wireless charger one and a half times faster than other smartphones.
However, only on the condition that they will be connected to the so-called, that is, one that is capable of providing an output of 1.4 amperes. From the usual ampere charging, S7 and S7 edge are also charged at the usual speed.
It is known that Sansung has already begun to produce Wireless Charging Stand models that support such “fast” charging, and in which, by the way, the smartphone is not placed horizontally, but vertically, so that it is much more convenient to use it during charging.
These new Qi-memory devices are already on sale. As for prices, according to preliminary data, the Wireless Charging Stand will retail for about $80.
Here is a short video - for clarity (in the settings you can turn on the translation of subtitles, which "in general terms, understand what the foreigner is talking about"):
What is Qi wireless charging?
In short, "Qi" (that's how the word Qi is pronounced) is the global battery standard for user-grade mobile devices. Qi allows for wireless charging of compatible devices through inductive power transfer. Simply put, you simply place your smartphone on a special transmitter plate without the need to connect it to a power outlet via a power supply or via a cable to a computer's USB port.
Where is Qi wireless charging used?
Today, this technology, like Wi-Fi, is widely used in hotels, airports, train stations and other public places. In addition, Qi charging is also available in the form of inexpensive and compact devices designed for use at home or in the office. Like EC Technology's ultra-slim wireless charger, which costs $21 on Amazon.
can i use qi?
Yes. If your smartphone supports Qi technology, then any wireless Qi charger will work for you. Moreover, it is not necessary to spend money only on expensive models that are recommended by the manufacturer of your smartphone as an official accessory. Any high-quality Qi charging of the so-called third-party brands will do.
What is the capacity of Qi charging?
The low-power Qi wireless charger is capable of delivering up to 5 watts of power at a distance of up to 4 cm (in theory), and the medium-power model can deliver up to 120 watts. In practice, the mentioned EC Technology Qi charger can charge the Nokia Lumia 735 smartphone, which is located no more than 2 cm above the transmitter. Therefore, the best option is when both devices are in direct contact with each other.
How fast can wireless Qi charging charge a smartphone or tablet battery?
As a rule, smartphones, and even more so tablets, charge much more slowly through a wireless Qi-charger than through conventional chargers. For example, Qi charging EC Technology supports a current of 1A, which is enough to recharge a smartphone battery at a normal pace, but not enough to quickly charge the battery of a Nexus 7 tablet, whose regular charger gives out 2A.
Qi wireless charging: how to use it?
Step 1 . We plug Qi charging into a socket (yes, it charges wirelessly, but it works from the mains) or connect it to a USB port (EC Technology has a USB cable included in the package) of a computer, tablet or external mobile battery.
Step 2 . To begin with, we check once again whether our smartphone (or tablet) supports Qi wireless charging technology. The data can be found in the model specification. For smartphones with removable back panels, Qi elements can be seen on the back of the cover. In addition, some manufacturers release Qi adapters for models that do not natively support Qi charging. For example, for its Galaxy S4, Samsung has developed a Qi back cover that can be installed in place of the usual one.
Step 3 . Just put your smartphone on the wireless charging pad. You will feel how it starts to vibrate, and you will see how the color of the indicator light changes - it means that the battery has begun to charge. Upon completion of the procedure, we take the smartphone from the panel.
the back panel of the Nokia Lumia 735 smartphone with elements of the Qi system
Actually, this is how wireless Qi charging works. For the average user of course
Wireless charging devices appeared not so recently. At my house, I have accumulated at least five devices that charge wirelessly. This includes electronics and various household appliances, such as an electric shaver. Charging the battery without connecting a wire is convenient. It is enough just to place the device to be charged in a special glass or put it on the appropriate stand. And there is no fuss with wires. Of course, the device must have wireless charging functionality, a regular phone, carefully placed on wireless charging, will not charge one iota.
With the advent of waterproof devices, the situation with wires has become in full growth. Now, instead of one movement - to connect the wire, you need to perform two actions - open the waterproof cover and connect the wire. One additional action, but performed regularly, is very annoying for consumers. Imagine if, in order to turn on the TV, you would need to insert batteries into the remote control every time. So, electronics manufacturers also thought about this issue. Some even began to complete their waterproof devices with a special cradle, with which you can charge. I plugged my phone into the cradle and it started charging. So, for example, did Sony.
In addition, the opening and closing charging lid, after a very specific time, simply comes off. The cradle solution is not ideal. For some devices, after a year of operation, the charging contacts in the phone were simply wiped and the cradle can be safely thrown away. That is why the cradle solution, although it has many advantages, such as reliability and high efficiency, is still not the best option. And the design of the phone suffers because of the withdrawn contacts.
QI standard
Understanding the depth of the problem and following the consumer's lead, trying to satisfy any of his desires, manufacturers turned their attention to wireless charging methods. It is those methods that simplify the process of charging the phone utterly. Then, when I put it on a stand, a mat, or simply inserted it into a special glass (and without any contacts). And where is the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, from the charger straight into the device. And so that each of the manufacturers does not fence their own garden, trying to come up with a standard for wireless charging, and even better not trying to make it proprietary and incompatible with others, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) was created. Through the efforts of this organization, the Qi standard for wireless charging of electronics was developed. The standard is open and, as a result, there are many independent manufacturers of chargers and receivers in the Qi standard on the market.
By the way, if in older models of smartphones, a manufacturer such as Samsung (it will be mainly discussed in this article), support for wireless charging was declared as optional. The devices had the ability to use wireless charging, but for this you had to either buy a special case with the necessary contacts (and it was almost impossible to buy one), or use a special sticker with contacts from a third-party manufacturer. Now, all new models come with wireless charging, which is either already built into the device, or built into a branded case that can be purchased. There is progress, the public clearly accepted wireless charging with approval. But, nevertheless, you can not buy a branded case with charging support, but simply use a cheap sticker installed under the cover. Not exactly a beautiful solution, but very cheap.
It's time to notice that Qi is not the only standard that allows you to charge without connecting a wire. There is at least one alternative technology worth considering. Somehow wandering around the expanses of the global, I found very interesting cases for phones, which strangely stood out with some kind of circle right in the center. After digging a little more, I realized that this circle is nothing more than a solution to the problem of sticking the charging wire into the phone (well, it's inconvenient). The essence of the AnyMode idea and many others is that instead of manually connecting the cable to the phone, it will be magnetized to a small (or vice versa large) flat magnet with contacts. And the use of a round connector allows you not to worry about the correct positioning of the phone relative to the connector. The magnets will do everything themselves. There is a very clever solution that not only elegantly eliminates the problem, but also lacks the loss in energy transfer during charging, as Qi has. But, in order for such a magnetic joy to work, you need a special case, which in some cases is worn on top of the standard one (for models without support for charging contacts), which increases the overall size of the device. And it's not entirely clear how some models will relate to a strong magnet, especially if they have built-in magnetic compasses.
Samsung supply for S5
Let's go directly to Samsung products. The Korean company, very carefully, in small steps, entered the wireless charging market, providing users of its super-popular Galaxy S5 with the opportunity to purchase not only a branded case with support for wireless charging (and this is important if you don’t want to be left without moisture protection), but also a branded charging station . And interestingly, they are sold as a set, but you can also buy them separately, which is very convenient, especially if you need several charges (home, office, country house, etc.)
I already mentioned in my article about S5 Duos that there are three types of branded S-View cases. Without any contacts inside, such a case has no functionality other than a protective one. A cover with two contacts activates the S-View functionality in the phone (turning on the phone screen when the cover is opened, viewing data through the window, etc.). And finally, the most advanced option is a case with five contacts. Such a case not only provides S-View functionality, but also adds wireless charging capability to the phone (the antenna coil is built into the case itself).
Although, Samsung does not mention anywhere that its case and charger are made in full compliance with the Qi standard, but only gives a link to the fact that both can only be used with WPC-certified devices. But, nevertheless, both the case and the charging itself will work fine with any other Qi standard devices. And the paranoid can even check the database of certified devices to see if a particular device has the appropriate certification.
Buyers of Samsung Wireless Charging or Wireless Charging Kit should pay attention to the fact that the charger does not come with a power supply. And you should use either the standard one from the delivery with the phone, or purchase a new one. The upside here is that Samsung hasn't thrown out the knees in the form of non-standard voltages or its own connectors yet. Here, everything is simple and standard, the usual Micro-USB. But! For normal charging performance, or rather the process of charging the phone itself, the power supply must produce at least two amperes. Therefore, you should not use old or rootless power supplies, as well as connect wireless charging to the USB port of a computer that is not capable of delivering more than 0.5 A. Check the power supply from your phone, it may be worth buying a new, more powerful power supply .
Measurements and consumption
Well, what. It's time to check the whole set in action. The first thing that catches your eye is the activation of the S-View mode. By the way, you can not only configure it, so far within very small limits, but also turn it off completely if someone does not like this mode. You can disable the S-View functionality in the accessories group in the phone settings. But, you can also configure it on the S-View screen itself. Although, there is nothing special to configure. Wallpapers, widgets for weather, steps, clock, and a call button for the camera. By the way, do not flatter yourself, the camera shoots in S-View mode very mediocrely, no settings and a photograph cropped to a square.
The charging itself is made in the upper part of a material similar to leather and is defined by touch as a kind of subspecies of Soft Touch materials. In the lower part, a very massive elastic band is glued to prevent slipping. True, the rubber band does not help at all even without a phone on top, charging moves around the table in a very frivolous way.
Since the kit was purchased specifically for the S5, the charging itself is, in principle, made in the same style as the S5 in the included case. The same color, the same texture, and even the chrome bezel around the perimeter is the same as the phone itself. Yes, and the cable that comes with the kit, cheers, cheers, in the same color as the charging case. Samsung has finally begun to pay at least a little more attention to the little things in style. But, there are still flaws in terms of usability. Well, let's start with the fact that the charge itself is too small. Why skimp on the physical size of the charge? In order for users to need to position the phone more accurately each time while charging? And the indicator light, for some reason it is built into the left end, when power is supplied from above. It is clear that they did a small charge and if you put the phone on it, the light bulb will not be visible, it will be covered by the phone case. If charging is to the right of the user, then the indicator light will be visible. And, here, if on the left, like mine? Then it remains to focus only on the emitted (and non-switchable) sound when the charge is turned on.
The charging indicator and soundtrack are built in for a reason. After all, in order for the phone to start charging normally, it must be placed strictly in the center on the charge. Otherwise, there will be no charge at all, or it will occur with less intensity. If everything is well centered, then the green LED turns on, a sound signal is emitted charging and a short melody is played on the phone. If not everything is done as it should, then the orange LED turns on, a sound signal is played, but the ringtone is not played. In general, in both cases, the phone will be charged, but in the second, it will take longer to charge. By the way, the Qi standard implies wireless transmission of energy at a distance of up to 4 centimeters, so charging is normal even if you turn the cover of the case on the back side (information for reflection for those who are going to buy a holder in a car with wireless charging).
During charging, the phone case in the battery area heats up very, very noticeably. Therefore, you should not use low-quality bumpers and other covers. They can ruin the appearance of both the phone case and the charger itself.
Before purchasing wireless charging, I was tormented by two questions:
- How much energy will be spent if the phone is not charging?
- How dangerous is it to sit next to the charger if nothing is charging on it, or on the contrary, the phone is charging on it?
In order to answer these questions, I had to arm myself with two devices. Of course, these are far from laboratory devices that can measure components with very high accuracy. In my hands I have completely ordinary, household appliances, which, nevertheless, can pull off the veil of the veil over these mysteries covered in darkness. After all, neither Qi nor Samsung officially declare anything worthwhile about this.
To measure the power consumption, a conventional device from Master-Kit was used, it allows you to replace the voltage in the network, instantaneous consumption, both in amperes and in watts, how much the connected device consumed per hour, day, week or month. A very convenient device in order to track the real consumption of electricity, and not what the manufacturers themselves write.
And, here about safety in terms of electromagnetic radiation, we usually think much less. Therefore, it is more difficult to measure such a parameter. In the simplest case, the total electromagnetic field, its strength, is measured. This can be done either through a calculated antenna connected to a sensitive ammeter, or using a specialized device. Let's use the second method. Since the last century, I have a German device EMV Tester lying in my stash that measures the level of electrosmog. It has two scales, each of which is equipped with a light indicator. The green light is on, which means everything is normal. Yellow - you should pay attention, and red, it means that the level of smog is increased and it is worth leaving the specified zone. The first scale normalizes the field strength for a residential area, the values in it are lower, and the second, with higher values, is intended for industrial areas, where higher levels of pollution are allowed. The units of measurement on the device are indicated in the mysterious symbols MG, perhaps this is some kind of German version of the henry unit, but that's not the point. Indicator lights are important.
Consumption.
To my delight, without load, i.e. without the phone lying on the charger, the Master-Kit boldly showed 0 watts of power consumed from a 220-volt wall outlet. I want to note right away that the minimum determined consumption of the device is 2 W, and everything below is simply displayed as 0. But, anyway, the value is very good, charging connected to the network, but not charging the phone, will consume the very minimum of energy. This is possible due to the use of a modern switching power supply in a proprietary power supply (and others no longer do, although the circuitry can be completely different, including not energy-saving ones). And, of course, without intelligent Qi, wireless charging would fry at full power all the time. An, no. If there is no compatible device on the charger ready to accept the charge, there will be no power transfer. Only standby mode, with minimal consumption for periodic attempts to establish contact with the person being charged.
But when a phone was put on charge, the battery of which was already pretty discharged, then the situation changed dramatically. Power consumption immediately rose to 10 watts. Well, actually, this was to be expected.
Security.
To figure out how dangerous it is to be near wireless charging, I had to measure the level of electrosmog in the "Home" mode, i.e. with minimum thresholds for the level of electromagnetic field strength. It turned out that without charging the phone, wireless charging periodically emits short-term pulses, apparently trying to connect with the device being charged. Therefore, the danger zone was at a distance of about 5 centimeters. And completely safe two centimeters further. Obviously, sleeping all night lying with your head on wireless charging is not worth it. Your brain will probably melt.
When the charge mode is on, in the lateral plane, the safe zone begins at a distance of about 20 cm from wireless charging, and in the vertical plane at a distance of about 12 cm. at 180 degrees. And the body of the phone significantly weakens them, and partly dissipates them. This is where the low efficiency of wireless charging lies, very large losses and triple energy conversion is needed.
Is this neighborhood dangerous? No, it’s not dangerous if, again, you don’t sleep and don’t sit all the time on your phone charged by wireless charging. For example, I took a few more measurements, which you can see on the video. Samsung's proprietary power supply shows the danger zone at a distance of three centimeters (and this is in idle mode), and the phone itself, with the display on, fries no worse than wireless charging. Previously, I measured various electronics and the results are very interesting. So, the dashboard of a modern car emits a dangerous level of electrosmog at a distance of up to 20-30 centimeters. A household LCD monitor has a danger zone of about 4 centimeters from the screen. And a large CRT TV pierces a reinforced concrete wall with its powerful coils and about 2 more meters of air with its dangerous zone.
Therefore, in my humble opinion, you should not be afraid of wireless charging, but you should not keep it in close proximity to your dearest biological body either. Previously, they were afraid and afraid of WiFi, but now nothing, no one even pays any attention to access points.
Problems
Samsung wouldn't be Samsung if they got it right on the first try without a hitch. I have already noted the strange location of the indicator light, and the size of the wireless charging itself. It is worth paying attention to other features. It's best to start with a very unpleasant flaw, which, if resolved, will only be in the Samsung Galaxy S12 or later models. Although, maybe hackers will finish something earlier. When the phone is charged to 100%, the operating system asks you to disconnect the charging cable in order to extend the life of the battery. But, sorry, this is pure anachronism. The S5 uses a lithium polymer battery with its own controller. He himself can regulate the charging current, depending on the temperature of the battery and its charge level. And once it's fully charged, it goes into float mode, where the battery is constantly fed with meager amounts of energy. And this is exactly what happens when we use wired charging, even despite the pop-up warning that it’s charged, it’s time to poke it out.
But, when we charge the phone with wireless charging, then reaching 100% charge, too smart phone sends a message about disabling charging not only to the user on the screen, but also to wireless charging. Everything, he disconnected from charging and no longer connects to it, although he lies on it. And so, waking up in the morning, you grab your phone from wireless charging, and on it, instead of the expected 100% charge, only 90% or 95%. Of course, you swear dirty, cuss Bill Gates at Samsung and its sharp-headed engineers. Indeed, often these 10% are what are missing at half past eleven at night when you leave a restaurant with friends and try to find your way to the nearest metro station.
The sound and melody that plays when you put the phone on wireless charging is certainly good, although we all understand that this is just a crutch that fixes the situation with a very small wireless charger. But, this sound is not turned off. And imagine that you are not using a power supply with the recommended 2A, but a less powerful one, but you bought a battery sticker instead of a branded case with a built-in antenna. And so, in the middle of the night, it pesters you - pilik-pilik, pilik-pilik, pilik-pilik. This phone then connects to the charging mode, then turns off. And so in random order, when it suddenly seemed to him that he had been removed from the charger or put back on it. Unpleasant, annoying, and even the sound does not turn off at all. But Android is famous for its high customizability. But not with Samsung.
There is another annoying feature of wireless charging. It can harm the radio signal when the phone is lying down and charging. After all, energy is transmitted by radio waves, though at other frequencies, but no one has yet canceled either pickup or harmonics. And there is a possibility that in the place where the phone somehow caught without charging, with wireless charging it will already be offline. This is even honestly warned in the user manual for wireless charging.
findings
The branded S-View case with wireless charging is good, it is beautiful, and the phone in it looks like a very strict and expensive accessory. But, there are very serious complaints about the implementation of wireless charging itself, and its support in the phone. It could have been done much better. However, despite the indicated shortcomings, alternatives are not always as well made and reliable as branded products. Therefore, in the absence of alternatives, it is better to purchase a branded case and branded charger from Samsung as the first set. But, subsequent charges, you can already watch from alternative manufacturers.
UPD.: However, for some living beings, extra electromagnetic waves, on the contrary, create a very pleasant aura for sleeping.
Kitten sleeping on Galaxy S5
Upd1. Simplified kits have been seen on sale, consisting of a back cover with support for wireless charging and the actual charger without a power supply. All native Samsung. The lid is a lid, not a booklet, which is quite convenient.
Since the kit is original, the sealing is done as it should be. The lid itself is thicker than the original one due to the wireless charging coil integrated into the lid.
Nowadays, a person without a smartphone is a person out of touch with life. It is hard to imagine that a few years ago the mobile phone was used only for communication. Now this little helper gives us both access to the Internet and many applications, and wakes us up in the morning. The list of benefits provided by a smartphone is endless. It is not surprising that a large number of gadgets have been invented for modern phones. One of them is a wireless charger, which we would like to talk about in more detail.
How can I tell if my phone supports wireless charging?
From the name it is clear that this is a gadget that allows you to charge your smartphone without using wires. It is a small stand connected to the network. Inside there is an induction coil, which creates a small magnetic field around itself. If there is a smartphone within the radius of this field, it will receive electricity in the truest sense of the word through the air. But there is one caveat - the induction coil must also be built into the smartphone. It will serve as a kind of energy receiver from the charger.
The goal of creating this device was to get rid of modern smartphones from the charger connectors, as well as to allow all devices in the house to be charged from one platform. The idea was a success, but why then do we not see this technology in every home and do not use it ourselves? The answer is simple - despite all the advantages, this miracle device also has disadvantages.
Pros and cons of a wireless charger
There are enough advantages to wireless charging, but they all have their cornerstone.
No wires
Without a doubt, this is a big plus. Wires have always been a weak point in chargers. With frequent kinks, the wire was easily damaged and tangled. Frequent recharging loosened the USB port in the phone, and sooner or later a repair was required. But there is also the other side of the coin. The rejection of wires reduced the efficiency (coefficient of performance) from 90% to 60–75%. Simply put, when using wireless charging, your smartphone will charge for about 2-3 times longer.
Range of use
It would seem that there are no wires - there are no restrictions, and you can charge your phone just being in the apartment. But no - the radius of using a wireless charger is very modest (3-5 cm) and the phone will have to be placed on a stand. Another significant drawback will be the inability to use the smartphone while charging.
Price
The cost of the charger is quite variable, but it will always be more expensive than the charging we are used to.
Standards
I would like to talk about the standards, thanks to which the use of technology for transmitting electricity through the air has become possible.
Qi ("Qi", in honor of the term of Eastern philosophy) was developed by WPC (Wireless Power Consortium - Consortium of Wireless Electromagnetic Energy). It is the most widespread and is supported by such giants of the mobile industry as Asus, Motorola, HTC, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Samsung, Blackberry, Sony and others. You can learn more about the standard and the list of supported devices on their official website.
The PMA standard also uses the principle of electromagnetic induction, but cannot boast as large a list of manufacturers supporting their technology as Qi. It was developed by Powermat, which is currently trying to fight unhealthy competition from Qi.
This standard uses Rezence technology, which is fundamentally different from PMA and Qi. The strange thing is that the most unpopular standard has many advantages over its competitors. The pluses include:
- the ability to charge through interference (if you put a book between a smartphone and a charger, nothing will change);
- one platform can power multiple devices;
- work in close proximity to metal objects, etc.
For a complete list of smartphones that can use wireless charging right out of the box, visit the official website https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com. I would like to note that most of the manufacturers made sure that their product supported the use of this technology.
What if your smartphone is not on the list of supported devices, but you need to use wireless charging? If you have such a question, then most likely you are a happy user of Apple products. So far, the iPhone does not provide the ability to receive electromagnetic signals. However, there is an alternative - the purchase of an auxiliary accessory that will do this for your phone. It fits under a standard case and does not cause any discomfort.
Is wireless charging harmful to health?
Like any new technology, the wireless charger raises a lot of questions. One of the most acute is whether it is harmful to health. Let's dispel this far-fetched myth. It will do you no more harm than an electronic shaver using the same technology. This is also claimed by the developers of the WPC standard themselves.
We hope our article was useful and helped you figure out the compatibility of your smartphone and wireless charger.
