Qi Wireless Spec Receives Speed Boost With 15-Watt Charging
The obvious advantage of wireless charging is that it's super convenient not having to plug a cable into your phone or mobile device. Cables have a way of sneaking under the couch and other hard to reach places, plus they can go bad. On the flip side, wireless charging is pretty slow, or at least it used to be. The Wireless Power Consortium just announced the latest version of the Qi specification that now supports 15 watts of power for fast charging.
This is a great benefit to owners of devices that are able to charge up quickly. Several mobile device makers already offer wired fast charging, which can juice up a device by as much as 60 percent in just 30 minutes. By advancing the Qi specification to support delivery of up to 15 watts of power, device makers can extend the same speed over to the wireless side.
"With a deployed base of well over 50 million units, hundreds of registered products and users all around the world, we understand the importance of a specification that supports innovation," said Menno Treffers, chairman of the WPC. "This release marks an important milestone for Qi, introducing the first higher power class and paving the way for our members to address more demanding applications with products that work seamlessly with the installed base of Qi-compatible products."
Unfortunately for mobile users who already adopted wireless charging technology, the updated standard means having to buy a new wireless charging pad if you want the speed gains of the new spec. It's the cost of progress, and the good news is your new charging pad will work with your existing mobile devices that already support Qi.
WPC also said it approved new test procedures and tools to verify that fast charging products are compliant with the new Qi specification.
This is a great benefit to owners of devices that are able to charge up quickly. Several mobile device makers already offer wired fast charging, which can juice up a device by as much as 60 percent in just 30 minutes. By advancing the Qi specification to support delivery of up to 15 watts of power, device makers can extend the same speed over to the wireless side.
"With a deployed base of well over 50 million units, hundreds of registered products and users all around the world, we understand the importance of a specification that supports innovation," said Menno Treffers, chairman of the WPC. "This release marks an important milestone for Qi, introducing the first higher power class and paving the way for our members to address more demanding applications with products that work seamlessly with the installed base of Qi-compatible products."
Unfortunately for mobile users who already adopted wireless charging technology, the updated standard means having to buy a new wireless charging pad if you want the speed gains of the new spec. It's the cost of progress, and the good news is your new charging pad will work with your existing mobile devices that already support Qi.
WPC also said it approved new test procedures and tools to verify that fast charging products are compliant with the new Qi specification.
