Qi Going Mainstream with Samsung and IKEA

Have you heard the news? Mainstream adoption of wireless power is accelerating. Recent announcements by Samsung and IKEA have significantly increased awareness and interest for Qi and the wireless power industry as a whole. The consumer press coverage is unprecedented and it sure looks like we’ve passed the tipping point into mainstream adoption.

Even with this flurry of news coverage, we’ve seen a couple of questions filter in that indicate not everyone understands the wireless charging concept. Wireless charging may still be a new technology to some people, so we’d like to address a few more commonly asked questions:

“Will I just need to plug in my IKEA furniture or stand-alone Qi charger now instead of my phone?”

The short answer is yes—you’ll also have to plug in the IKEA lamp or desk with embedded charging or any other non-portable Qi charger. Plug it in and forget about it. When your phone needs a charge, just place it on the charge spot and let the magic begin. Now imagine a future where Qi is embedded in your home like countertops and furniture, and in public transportation like cars or airplanes and in public places like airports, hotels and restaurants. Qi technology is already built into many public places and the list is growing quickly. We are getting closer to the day when we can forget about AC adaptors or dead phone batteries. We will not miss the days of hunting for an AC outlet in order to grab a quick charge.
 
“Is wireless charging safe?”

The Qi wireless standard has been proven to be safe. Its low operating frequency and antenna design were selected to maximize safety and efficiency. The leading German automotive advisory group, CE4A, conducted a three year study and deemed that, based on safety and efficacy, Qi was the standard to use.
Have any more questions? Leave one in the comment section below, or tweet us your questions at @qipower, and take a look at some of the top comments and coverage thus far:

“The move is a big one, not only for IKEA but also for Qi, which is just one of two other major charging standards, including the Power Matters Alliance and Rezence. With IKEA as a force behind Qi, it could help it to inch out the others. In order for true wireless charging to go mainstream, ideally, there would be just one standard, allowing it to be rapidly incorporated into all mobile devices and work universally.”
-Mashable

“[IKEA’s] feat may seem modest when compared with the wireless powering marvels Tesla claimed to be possible, but it is a step in that direction and possibly a very big one.”
-Forbes

The majority of smartphones now sold come with inbuilt Qi wireless charging, the inductive charging standard. This standard means any compatible phone can charge from any Qi charging surface, eliminating the need for chargers built only for specific phone models. Jeanette Skjelmose, Ikea business area manager of lighting and wireless charging, said the range was born from the inconvenience of cable mess and people struggling to charge their phones.
-The Telegraph

The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S6 does a great deal in getting consumers aware of the possibilities of cordless charging. Built in by default, Samsung’s latest phone can make use of both Qi and Power Matters Alliance’s standard. As the two major inductive charging standards, the South Korean phone company will support most all chargers. Including Ikea’s line of lamps and bedside tables.
-iDigitalTimes

ABC Affiliate had a great broadcast segment on IKEA
-WXYZ Detroit

ABC featured the Samsung news on their TechBytes video
-ABC Techbytes

“Both handsets have built-in wireless charging - handy, given this week Ikea announced it will start selling furniture with integrated Qi wireless chargers from April.”
-International Business Times

“In the quest to prove how much better Samsung's latest flagship device is than the incredibly popular iPhone 6, Samsung was careful, however, to play to its own originality. The introduction or wireless charging, the curved screen in the Edge, and partnering with Ikea to build relevant furniture for the wireless chargers all set it apart from Apple.”
-ZDNet

 

Motorola’s Moto 360 Smart Watch Will Have A Wireless Charger, Bright Display, Heart Rate Sensor

Motorola has kept mum on certain Moto 360 features leaked by an Italian gadget blog, like wireless charging and an optical heart rate sensor. The Moto 360's release date was expected earlier this month, but Mister Gadget says it may not arrive until September.

An Italian blogger got his hands on the anticipated Moto 360 smartwatch from Motorola, disclosing a number of key design details about the Android Wear device on Tuesday, weeks before its official release date.

The gallery of Moto 360 images leaked by Mister Gadget includes a first look at the wireless charger for the Moto 360. The leak also unveils a previously unannounced Moto 360 feature: a heart rate sensor, much like the Gear Live from Samsung Electronics Co. (KRX:005930).

Motorola, which Lenovo Group Ltd. (HKG:0992) agreed to purchase from Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) earlier this year, isn't expected to release the Moto 360 until later this month. The company has only given a “summer” timeline for the Moto 360’s release date, and Mister Gadget alluded to a Sept. 1 launch in its report.

moto 360 optical heart rate sensor

The Moto 360's heart rate sensor and wireless charger were leaked prior to the watch's release date by Italian blogger Luca Viscardi.

Luca Viscardi, the writer behind MisterGadget.net, says in his review that the Moto 360’s wireless charger is sleek, but more difficult to lug around than chargers from its Android Wear competitors. The Moto 360’s Qi charging interface will also allow it to work with wireless chargers like those Google sold with for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5.

In a brief review, Mister Gadget reports the Moto 360 features longer battery life than the LG G Watch. Viscardi said that the LG G Watch usually lasted him one day of heavy usage, while the Moto 360 usually lasted more than two days. He cautioned, however, that his unit wasn't fully functional, which could have tipped the scales in favor of the Moto 360 during battery tests.

moto 360 vs lg g watch

Moto 360 vs. LG G Watch: Motorola's round smartwatch features a comparable size and sleeker look than existing Android Wear models.

Viscardi compared the Moto 360 to Android Wear smart watches from Samsung and LG, saying its display was brighter and more easily read, despite its better battery life. He said that white colors, shown above, showed the biggest differences in displays.

Viscardi said in his review that the Moto 360's size and weight held up to standard timepieces. He said that the dimensions of the Moto 360, which were criticized for appearing “huge” at some angles, were“not exaggerated at all.”

 

Samsung Galaxy S5 Supports Wireless Charging

The Galaxy S 5, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit will be available to U.S. consumers this spring across various channels. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS and U.S. Cellular will carry the Galaxy S 5. Samsung Experience Shops in Best Buy, as well as Amazon, Costco, RadioShack, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart will also carry the Galaxy S 5. Gear 2, Gear Neo 2 and Gear Fit will be available through carrier and retail channels, including the Samsung Experience Shops in Best Buy.

The Galaxy S 5 delivers unrivaled experiences on a brilliant 5.1-inch display, powered by technology that enables amazing new camera experiences, lightning fast data connections, and health and wellness monitoring. Building on the innovation of Galaxy Gear, Samsung’s first wearable device, Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo each bring new and refined features based on consumer feedback. Gear Fit was designed with health and wellness in mind, so users can stay connected while maintaining their active lifestyle†.

The Galaxy S 5 will be available in Charcoal Black and Shimmery White. Galaxy S 5 accessories will include a Wallet Case, S View Flip Cover, and Wireless Charging Covers and Wireless Charging S View Flip Covers in an array of colors.

 

2015 Toyota Camry with Qi chargers

Toyota has extensively messed with its bestselling Camry sedan for 2015—but you wouldn’t know it looking at the car’s pricing. That’s because, compared with the holdover “2014.5″ model-year Camry, the new base model costs just $100 more.

Okay, so Toyota previously offered a price-leader Camry L, but that trim level existed purely to give Toyota a low base price to splash across advertisements; even so, the 2015 Camry LE is just $545 dearer than the canceled L model. We’re not sure about you, but we happen to think the Camry’s injection of style, equipment, and—Toyota claims, we haven’t driven it yet—sportiness is worth a whole heck of a lot more than a measly few hundred dollars.

The 2015 Camry arrives in dealerships this month, and it will be offered in four trim levels: LE, SE, XLE, and a new XSE spec. The base engine is a carry-over 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 178 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque, and the only transmission choice is a six-speed automatic. The luxury-oriented XLE and the sport-luxury-oriented XSE also offer Toyota’s strong 3.5-liter V-6, which puts down a mighty 268 horsepower. The gas-fed models will be joined by an equally new Camry Hybrid, which Toyota will sell you in LE, “sporty” SE, and XLE trims; all three are powered by the automaker’s now-familiar hybridized 2.5-liter four-cylinder/CVT setup. We’ve included Toyota’s high-level overview pricing for each Camry model below:

Camry XSE: $26,975; adds leather-wrapped seats (heated in front) with suede inserts, a four-way power passenger seat, Toyota’s Entune infotainment system, LED running lights, and 18-inch aluminum black-painted wheels. The V-6–powered XSE starts at $32,195 and comes with full-LED headlights, proximity entry and start, navigation with a seven-inch touch-screen display, a power sunroof, and a built-in Qi wireless mobile-device charger.

 

WPC Qi v1.2 to bring greater charging distancen

Written by Slobodan Simic

Up to 45mm

The Wireless Power Consortium has detailed its new upcoming Qi v1.2 wireless charging standard which will bring improvements in the charging distance supported by Qi-enabled devices.

While current Qi standard is a neat thing, but it only allows a charging distance of 7mm and the new Qi v1.2 will greatly improve that by promising an increase to 45mm. According to the consortium, five member companies have already demonstrated charging at 45mm distance with prototype receivers.

The WPC also noted that while Qi chargers have always been capable of multiple-device charging, the new standard, which will enable the use of single inverter for multiple coils, should also bring cheaper charging stations.

The Wireless Power Consortium also noted that the new Qi standard provide wireless power of up to 2000W for kitchen applications, which sounds like a really neat idea for many kitchen appliances.

The new Qi v1.2 standard will be backwards compatible with the Qi v1.1 and will allow current smartphones to draw power from new Qi v1.2 stations from a distance of up to 30mm

 

Wireless Charging in Automotive That Is Here and Now

Qi was been chosen by the German auto consortium CE4A for use in Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and VW.  The cars pictured below are available on the market and have Qi technology to wirelessly charge your car on the go.

 

innopwr Announces Multi-Mode Module Compatible With Qi, REZENCE, PMA Standard & Newest Qi

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