Get answers to frequent questions and see some top wireless charging options. This month, Apple surprised some industry watchers by purchasing PowerByProxi, a New Zealand-based company developing loosely-coupled resonant charging technology that’s also based on the Qi specification. It’s important to make sure you have the right charger to charge your smartphone or tablet. Look
for the Qi logo on packaging to check compatibility with your Qi phone before you buy.
For starters, wireless charging typically means protected connections, since there is no corrosion when the electronics are enclosed and thus away from water or oxygen. There’s also lower risk of electrical faults such as short circuit due to insulation failure, especially when connections are made or broken frequently. Check that your phone is compatible with Qi wireless charging before attaching the ring.
In 1972, the University of Auckland’s Professor Don Otto worked on building a vehicle powered by induction using transmitters in the road and a receiver on the vehicle. But it was in 1977 that John E. Trombly got a patent for an electromagnetically coupled battery charger.
Read more about Magnetic Wireless Charger here. The receiver won’t be necessary if Apple puts coils in the iPad. And there will be more possibilities if Apple puts magnets too. Just think about the MagSafe iPhone and a heap of MagSafe accessories. There are also third-party accessories that are simply magnetic attachments without an official “MagSafe” designation, such as a $23 magnetic wallet accessory or Anker’s $16 magnetic phone grip. If you’re primarily interested in the nuts and bolts of wireless charging, here’s how to get started. Finally, some companies also offer cases with MagSafe-compatible backings.
Magnetic Induction
There’s also a big advantage of not cluttering the place with more cables and wires, which makes it a bit more convenient. There’s no more risk of the cable charger getting broken since, well, there’s no more charger cable. Electromagnetic induction results in the production of voltage across a conductor placed in a changing magnetic field or a conductor moving through a stationary magnetic field.
As of 2017, the two biggest players in the game emerged as Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi (pronounced “chee”) and AirFuel Alliance (commonly known by its pre-merger name PMA). While both of these systems use a nearly identical inductive charging design, they employ different transmission frequencies and connection standards with devices when communicating and controlling power management. Essentially, wireless charging uses a loop of coiled wires around a bar magnet — which is known as an inductor. When an electric current passes through the coiled wire, it creates an electromagnetic field around the magnet, which can then be used to transfer a voltage, or charge, to something nearby, Resnick said. There are many advantages to inductive charging such as being able to charge anywhere, allowing multiple devices to be charged on the same port and making phones waterproof.
One is encased in the charging base or the mat; it is the component that produces an alternating current (AC) from within the base. The other is located in the portable device in need of a charge, say a smartphone, tablet etc. The coil could be in the form of a pad that clips to your phone, a circuit embedded inside the phone, or a replacement battery cover with a built-in charging coil that gets connected to the charging socket. Some people find it a little inconvenient too, as you have to keep your device on the mat the whole time that it’s being charged. Therefore, you don’t have the luxury to use it while it’s being charged. However, this has been taken care of by WiTricity’s wireless chargers, which can charge your phone from a distance.
Do MagSafe Chargers Work With Android Phones?
Wireless charging requires drive electronics and coils in both device and charger, thus adding to the complexity and the manufacturing costs. Like most technologies, wireless charging comes with its host of advantages and disadvantages.
Does the iPhone come with a MagSafe charging cable?
These days, we have the advantage of refueling our tech via wireless charging. That means no more tangled cables, and no more broken adapters. When Lightning accessories such as headphones are connected, charging is limited to 7.5W to comply with regulatory standards. In order for the charger to know which coil to use, it transmits an electric current to each coil in sequence and determines which coil is physically closest to the phone. Learn how to wirelessly charge your iPhone with Qi-certified charging accessories. For Apple devices, you can expect a 7.5W charging speed and for Samsungs, a 10W charging speed.
It’s a little-known fact that Apple was behind the creation of Thunderbolt (originally known as Light Peak). Intel became the one to shepherd it before effectively donating the tech to become part of standard USB. Okay, why did I say “for worse” four paragraphs ago if things are so rosy? First, Golden confirms that the Qi2 standard strangely doesn’t have the exact same pattern of magnets as MagSafe and that it’s not clear what will happen with current iPhones because of that. With the blessing of competitors, Apple is about to change the Qi wireless standard itself. It’s contributing to a new version of Qi that works much like MagSafe — magnets, authentication, and all. There are a couple of caveats I want to immediately mention.
