Qualcomm Technologies Inc announced today a new method to allow wireless charging through devices with metal casings.
At present device manufactures had been limited in the choice of materials, and thickness, used in the construction of devices if they wanted to incorporate a wireless charging solution. Qualcomm’s announcement today takes care of the issue with metal bodied phones using their new WiPower format.
WiPower uses Rezence, which is a combination of the A4WP + PMA wireless charging standards, it’s a part of the Alliance for Wireless Power. The A4WP is not the same standards body as the Wireless Power Consortium who develop the Qi standard which is far more prevalant here in Australia, but if adopted by manufacturers of aluminium bodied phones like the HTC One M9 or Huawei P8, then we could see more of it.
Qualcom’s WiPower technology does have the benefit of slight longer range, charging of multiple devices on a single charging plate and now the ability to charge through metal cases. The longer range gives options for storing your charging pad under a desk if required to give that OCD ‘clean desk’ look a real shot in the arm.
With more manufactures at least considering wireless power in their devices the inclusion of metal to the list of supported materials can only be good for both wider implementation and more premium handsets. Qualcomm is currently a leader in mobile chip design, with many companies adopting their technology, if WiPower becomes a standard built-in to Snapdragon based devices in the near future, Qi’s days could be numbered.
