Wireless Charging: Looking Back, Moving Forward

Wireless Charging: A Brief Review

• Limited Adoption: Wireless charging has yet to fully enter everyday life, largely due to fragmented, incompatible standards and lukewarm support from smartphone manufacturers.

• Industry Landscape:

  • In 2015, A4WP (focused on multi-device, long-distance charging) merged with PMA (already deployed in select Starbucks locations) in an effort to unify standards.

  • WPC, the promoter of the Qi standard, remains the dominant player, as most smartphones today support Qi.

• Significance of the Merger:

  • The new organization aims to combine PMA’s inductive charging with A4WP’s resonant charging.

  • Backed by key members such as Samsung, Qualcomm, Duracell, and AT&T, the merger raised expectations for a universal standard.

• Future Outlook:

  • A unified global wireless charging standard is within reach.

  • Resonance-based long-distance charging is seen as a promising direction for the future.