The Wireless Power Consortium, which is behind the Qi wireless charging standard, said it is adding resonant charging capabilities to complement existing inductive charging technology within the Qi specification. That will give users the ability to charge Qi-enabled devices at short distances instead of directly on inductive charging pads. The WPC also said the changes will give users the option to discreetly embed wireless chargers deeper into objects like furniture and desktops. The changes will be backwards compatible with existing Qi-enabled devices.
The WPC is moving toward support for charging at a distance of 45mm (1.77 niches). The new specification also supports power transfers up to 30mm (1.18 inches), compatible with today's existing receivers.
Qi has the support of more than 200 device makers and wireless players, including Foxconn, HTC, LG Electronics, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Nokia (NYSE:NOK), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Samsung Electronics, Sony, Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) and ZTE.
The two other groups behind wireless charging standards are The Alliance for Wireless Power and the Power Matters Alliance. All three have said they would like to see convergence toward a single standard. Release