If there’s one of transformational technology in the mobile world today, it is wireless charging. Just as the world got a hang of using micro USB to charge everything and anything the next best thing came along. That thing is wireless charging, and I’ve a few things to say about it. But first… what is wireless charging?
I find wireless charging is far better than using micro USB. It might seem that the difference between plugging a cable on your desk into your smartphone and removing it as you leave has the same level of frustration as placing a smartphone on a charging station and picking it up as you leave is minimal; but the difference in comfort, speed, and usability is like night and day.
Wireless charging works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Coils of wire in the charging plate create a magnetic field as the current passes through. This field can induce an electrical current in an adjacent coil of wire without actually touching it. If this wire is part of a battery charging circuit, then you have wireless charging.
It’s not as efficient as a direct cable connection between the batter and - wireless charging is around 60%-70% efficient and it is still recommend that booting a device from cold is done through a wired connection. But for day-to-day use, just lining up the coils and letting electromagnetism do the rest is the simple value proposition at the heart of wireless charging.
It’s worth noting that the lithium-ion chemistry used in smartphone batteries happily cope with having short bursts of energy to charge them up – which is exactly what wireless charging can provide as you lift your smartphone up from the charging pad and replace it throughout the day.