What is Qi?
Qi is the wireless charging standard used in many mobile devices today. It’s been around for about 6 years now. Initial adoption rates have been slow but visibility is steadily improving.
Apple added Qi wireless charging to the iPhone starting with the iPhone 8 and later. The majority of higher end Android phones support it as well. You’ll want to check the specs on your mobile device before purchasing a charging pad.
Automakers are also jumping on the bandwagon and adding wireless charging pads as an option in their vehicles too.
You might be curious about how Qi works. Let’s take a look.
The method used by Qi is called “inductive power transfer.” The charging pad acts as a transmitter and the mobile device acts as a receiver. When a Qi capable device is placed on the pad a “ping” is sent through the transmitter coil. The receiving coil in the mobile device responds to this “ping” and the charging process begins soon after.
Charging of the mobile device is achieved by creating an electromagnetic field within the transmission coil. This field induces a current in the receiving coil and charges the battery in the mobile device.
Throughout the charging process the mobile device will send “pings” to the charging pad to indicate its charge level. When the device is fully charged it “pings” the charging pad to set it’s output level to zero and stops the charging process.
This charging process typically runs at a maximum rate of 7.5 Watts. This is significantly lower than what you would get by plugging in a charging cable. If like me, you typically charge your phone overnight you won’t notice a difference.
Things you need to know about wireless charging:
We’ve already touched on charging speed. It will be slower than your cable. Roughly 30% slower for a standard charger. Closer to 45% slower for a fast charger.
Wireless charging will only work if the two coils are a few millimeters apart. This can pose a challenge when trying to position the device on the pad. The pad will have a circular indicator printed on its surface to show where the transmitter coil is located. You will need to get as much of the mobile device inside the circle as possible to engage the charging process.
If you have a larger or thicker protective case on the mobile device it may need to be removed in order for wireless charging to work.
Wireless charging can generate more heat than standard charging with a cable. This increased heat is still well within tolerance for the mobile device. It could be a cause for concern the first time you charge your device wirelessly. It’s perfectly normal though.
Some people may tell you that wireless charging will shorten the overall life of the battery. There is no evidence to support this. In fact most experts agree that the slower charging rate of wireless charging is actually beneficial for the life of the battery.
You do not need to buy your wireless charger from the same vendor that made your phone. Qi is an industry standard and any charger built to the Qi standard will charge any mobile device that is also Qi compliant.
I have been using wireless charging with various devices for about 18 months. I can tell you that it is wonderful technology. I have a wireless charging pad on my nightstand at home and my computer monitor has a Qi charging pad built into the base.
Once you get used to simply dropping your phone down on the pad and walking away it’s difficult to go back to fishing around for the charger under your desk.
Looking for a wireless charging solution for both the iPhone and Apple watch?
I just purchased the pad below from Amazon. If you buy from the link below it will help support this blog.
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