Inductive wireless charging may have taken another step toward wider adoption today, with an announcement from the Wireless Power Consortium.The group announced an update of the Qi wireless charging standard, allowing for charging from up to 40mm away. The updated standard greatly exceeds previous limitations, which capped charging distance at 5mm between device and charging platform.
The new standards also allow for new transmitter designs, giving device designers a greater degree of freedom with regard to USB power, magnetic and non-magnetic device alignment, and device placement.
The updated standard will open up the possibility of Qi-enabled charging platforms being built into more surfaces, including counters, desks, tables, and cars. Though initially something of a novelty, recent years have seen wireless charging move from the realm of proprietary niche, as with HP/Palm’s Touchstone dock, to a charging alternative with wider applicability, as seen with multiple offerings from Energizer and other manufacturers
