Wireless Charging for Phones: Coming to Metal Smartphones

By Liezl Dunuan, Christian Post Contributor Friday, July 31, 2015

Thanks to Qualcomm's new technology called WiPower, wireless charging may soon be available for smartphones, but only for those which have metal cases. Qualcomm has until recently been known for manufacturing processors which are used on most smartphones in the market. Now, it is venturing into wireless charging.

The report said that the company has patented the new wireless charging technology which it calls WiPower. It allows wireless charging for phones that have a metal rear cover. This has not been possible, not until now, so Qualcomm is in a good spot to pioneer this new technology.

WiPower technology is said to have been designed so that it is compatible with the global wireless standard Rezence, which was established by the Alliance for Wireless Power.

"Building a wireless charging solution into devices with metal exteriors is a significant step for moving the entire industry forward," said General Manager for Wireless Charging Steve Pazol.

This new technology, if and when it catches on, will change the way smartphones are manufactured. Essentially, it may push manufacturers to make more devices with metal backs so that this wireless technology can be exploited. Wireless charging itself will change the way people use their phones, making charging more convenient.

According to the report, WiPower uses what is called Near Field Magnetic Resonance technology, which allows a range of different but compatible electronic devices to be charged "even if there is not perfect alignment or physical contact with the charger." This was not the case with earlier Rezence standards, where other metal objects found near devices were affected and caused interference.

22 watts of power is needed to charge devices that have a metal case. It is said that charging speed will be the same if not faster than the current wireless technology available. WiPower will also allow simultaneous charging of devices with different power requirements. It will also use Bluetooth Smart for wireless charging.