The wireless charging world can usually be reduced to two factions: the Qi standard... and then everyone else. However, those frequently neglected alternatives are now rallying around a common banner. Meet the AirFuel Alliance, the new name for t...
When wireless charging made its way to smartphones a couple of years ago, the world sighed in relief at the thought that at last we’re getting rid of at least one cord.
The Alliance for Wireless Power, which includes such big players as Dell, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Logitech and Panasonic, claims that the resonance charging model it has been working on has now 50 W of power. This is enough for charging laptops, tablets, and other devices that are not extremely power hungry. The jump from smartphones to laptops is quite noticeable, and we hope that Rezence, the wireless charging brand of this alliance, will get its products on the market in the not so distant future.
Peter Hortensius, chief technology officer, Lenovo, stated: “The ability to easily wirelessly charge a laptop, smartphone, or accessory marks a powerful shift, untangling us from the wires that have become a part of our everyday lives. In evaluating the different wireless charging technologies, we determined that the A4WP system operating at 6.78 MHz best meets our customers’ needs because it delivers the power and convenience necessary to easily charge all your devices.”
Marcel Stolk, senior vice president, Logitech, detailed the advantages of a universal charging solution from the perspective of a manufacturer of various types of hardware: “Logitech makes consumer electronics that span the power gamut, including computer and mobile accessories, gaming and music products. Having a universal wireless charging solution that is both flexible and scalable is important as consumers buy more devices that require charging. Rezence is the logical fit to enable us to deliver a superior customer experience.”
Kamil Grajski, President, Alliance for Wireless Power, concluded that “As highlighted by A4WP member companies at Computex, wireless power is about more than charging a phone on a pad. Flexibility, in both power and placement, are key to expanding wireless charging beyond a niche. A4WP member companies are driving the expansion of the Rezence specification to enable new usage models. Extending Rezence to include laptops, tablets and peripherals is a necessary step towards a wire-free and universal charging experience for everyone.”
I must admit that I like the idea of living in a world without wires, and I hope that Rezence’s solutions will be available soon. If the price is right, we might get to say goodbye to laptop and tablet chargers forever.
Wireless charging stations aren't currently very bright, but they're about to learn some new tricks. The Alliance for Wireless Power and the Bluetooth SIG are collaborating on an updated A4WP specification that uses Bluetooth Smart to manage wireless charging sessions. Future Bluetooth-equipped stations should optimize power delivery, prioritize charging for multiple devices and launch apps; you could order a meal by setting your phone down at a restaurant table, for instance. Just when we'll see these smart stations isn't certain, though. When the first A4WP-ready products aren't likely to reach the market until next year, it could be a long time before wireless chargers become truly multi-talented.
Qualcomm, the founding member of Alliance for Wireless Power (or A4WP in short), made a surprise move today by joining the management board of the rival Wireless Power Consortium (or WPC), the group behind the already commercially available Qi standard. This is quite an interesting development considering how both alliances have been openly critical of each other, and yet now there's a chance of seeing just one standard getting the best of both worlds. That is, of course, dependent on Qualcomm's real intentions behind joining the WPC.
The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), a consortium working to establish a new wireless charging standard, hasn't been around for terribly long -- Samsung and Qualcomm joined forces to create the organization just over a year ago -- but it's planning to make waves as quickly as possible. One of the most effective ways to do exactly that, then, would be to persuade large players in the mobile industry to join along, and Intel certainly meets that qualification. The company announced this afternoon that it has officially joined the A4WP's Board of Directors. This move doesn't guarantee that we'll be soon seeing Intel-powered devices with built-in wireless charging capabilities, but it's at least a solid indication that the folks in Santa Clara are mindful of (and intrigued by) the potential that near-field magnetic resonance tech holds.
The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), a group created through the joint efforts of Qualcomm and Samsung, is getting ready to tackle the growing wireless charging market by introducing its very own standard to compete against the likes of the WPC. This morning the consortium, which claims TI, Powermat and Deutsche Telekom (among several others) as members, not only went into greater detail on its plans for the future but also brought along some prototype pads and embedded furniture to show us.
The A4WP's solution is a "non-radiative magnetic resonance-based wireless power transfer ecosystem" -- in short, it allows your phone, tablet or other A4WP-certified gadget (such as light bulbs, as demonstrated above) to charge from a small distance. What does this mean to you, dear consumer? In short, your device doesn't have to be directly touching the pad in order to receive a charge; instead, you could place your phone on top of a notebook or other obstruction (heck, you could even stack your phone on top of another phone or tablet) and still power up your handset. lt will also allow you to place more than one device on the same pad -- and even more than one device type, so tablets and phones can charge together in harmony despite the fact that they both have different power requirements -- and move them around anywhere on the pad without interrupting the charge. These are key differentiators that make A4WP's option a very tempting one for the general user.
The Alliance for Wireless Power's (A4WP) board approved its spec on January 2, 2013 -- the spec itself was approved back in October -- and we're already seeing them showing off some of the capabilities we'll benefit form as consumers. One of the key differences in the A4WP spec is being touted as spatial freedom which will see greater flexibility in how the wireless power is integrated into devices and even surfaces. Multiple devices can be charged at once even if they each have different power requirements and the devices don't even need to physically touch the surface -- so feel free to stack your tablets and phones one on top of each other. We're all for convenient charging as long as our furniture still looks pretty and isn't at risk of catching on fire. PR is after the break if you're inspired to give it a read.
It's not quite a "Dear John" letter, but we're sure the Wireless Power Consortium is heartbroken all the same. One of its key members, TI, has just signed up for the Alliance for Wireless Power to build cable-free charging on what's effectively a competing standard. The chip designer doesn't view the move as abandoning a long-time partner, though -- it remains part of the WPC and plans to produce Qi-based wireless power chipsets alongside future A4WP components. Without any related chips to announce, there's a long wait left before we know how well TI can juggle the two charging formats without appearing to play favorites. We'd recommend that the WPC not grow too attached in the meantime.
It's not quite a "Dear John" letter, but we're sure the Wireless Power Consortium is heartbroken all the same. One of its key members, TI, has just signed up for the Alliance for Wireless Power to build cable-free charging on what's effectively a competing standard. The chip designer doesn't view the move as abandoning a long-time partner, though -- it remains part of the WPC and plans to produce Qi-based wireless power chipsets alongside future A4WP components. Without any related chips to announce, there's a long wait left before we know how well TI can juggle the two charging formats without appearing to play favorites. We'd recommend that the WPC not grow too attached in the meantime.
It's not quite a "Dear John" letter, but we're sure the Wireless Power Consortium is heartbroken all the same. One of its key members, TI, has just signed up for the Alliance for Wireless Power to build cable-free charging on what's effectively a competing standard. The chip designer doesn't view the move as abandoning a long-time partner, though -- it remains part of the WPC and plans to produce Qi-based wireless power chipsets alongside future A4WP components. Without any related chips to announce, there's a long wait left before we know how well TI can juggle the two charging formats without appearing to play favorites. We'd recommend that the WPC not grow too attached in the meantime.
The wireless charging world can usually be reduced to two factions: the Qi standard... and then everyone else. However, those frequently neglected alternatives are now rallying around a common banner. Meet the AirFuel Alliance, the new name for t...
