Qualcomm Brings Wireless Charging To Metal Phones For The First Time
Metal-bodied devices have until now been unable to use wireless charging, but WiPower update changes all that
Qualcomm has announced a major breakthrough that should allow nearly all future mobile devices to support wireless charging.
An update to its WiPower technology that will allow smartphones and tablets made with a metal body to benefit from wireless charging for the first time.
Previously, devices with a metal case, such as the HTC One M9 (pictured below) were not able to support wireless charging technology due to the interference the materials caused to the process, but Qualcomm has now made it available for device manufacturers to build into future products.
Advancing
The new update allows WiPower to operate at a frequency that is more tolerant of metal objects that come within the charge field, meaning that metal cases are now able to conduct power.
Additionally, the technology also now enables simultaneous charging of multiple devices with different power requirements.
“Building a wireless charging solution into devices with metal exteriors is a significant step for moving the entire industry forward,” said Steve Pazol, Qualcomm’s general manager of wireless charging.
“Today, more device manufacturers are choosing to utilise metal alloys in their product designs to provide greater structural support and, of course, aesthetics. QTIs engineering advancement eliminates a major obstacle facing wireless power and opens up the continued adoption of this desirable feature to a much wider range of consumer electronics and use cases.”
Qualcomm has been a major player in the wireless charging industry for many years, and was one of the founder members of the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) that looks to establish standards for the technology under the Rezence brand.
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