Microsoft Backs Qi Wireless Charging Standard

Wireless charging is something that will be the standard some time in the future, and I, for one, will be welcoming that time with arms wide open. With several devices in our household, some of which do not use the same cables and/or plugs, it is very easy to have a spaghetti-like arrangement of wires in the lounge and in the bedroom. Thank goodness for the Wireless Power Consortium, an entity that has been working on setting the standard for wireless charging.

Its Qi wireless charging standard holds a lot of promise, with the ultimate goal of being compatible with any phone – regardless of manufacturer or model. So yeah, you’ll end up needing only one charger even if you have an iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad Mini, Samsung Note 2, Samsung S2 – name it, you can charge it. Without wires even!

How about a Windows phone?

Well, Microsoft has just made public its support of the Qi wireless charging standard, adding its name to a list of 200 other companies. Some of the big names you’ll recognize easily: Qualcomm, LG, HTC, Samsung, Sony, Motorola, IKEA, and Nokia.

It’s a great move, especially since Microsoft does manufacture quite a bunch of mobile devices, and giving them the capability to charge wirelessly following only one standard makes it more attractive for users. It also makes it easy for the manufacturers.

All this is well and good, but it also brings to attention that the WPC is only one of the three entities that are seeking to set a standard in this niche. There’s Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and the Power Matter Alliance (PMA) – although they have sort of agreed to work together to a certain degree. Still, that means that we are not that near to reaching a single, unified standard for wireless charging. So before we get all excited, don’t you think those three organizations should get their acts together first?

[Image via PROXI]