Wireless Charging Tech Expected to Take Off, Despite Standards Issues
By Karla Robinson
November 14, 2012
November 14, 2012
- Procter & Gamble is looking to launch its Duracell Powermat wireless charging technology in Madison Square Garden, giving away 5,000 iPhone smartphone cases to New York Knicks season-ticket holders. The arena will be outfitted with 550 charging spots and the venture will cost P&G millions.
- “Although the consumer demand is potentially huge,” Businessweek writes, “wireless charging has been slow to take off. There are currently fewer than 10 million devices in circulation in the U.S. able to charge wirelessly, mostly phones and accessories, according to researcher IHS.”
- The firm projects the global shipments of wirelessly charged devices will jump to almost 100 million in 2015 compared to the mere 5 million units this year.
- “Without one accepted standard, though, companies run the risk of investing in products that may be obsolete in a couple of years,” the article states.
- Currently, there are three main competing platforms. The Duracell Powermat supports the PMA standard as part of the Power Matters Alliance. LG Electronics, Energizer and Nokia are all members of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) that offers a different technology called Qi. The Alliance for Wireless Power has yet another standard, backed by Samsung and 19 other companies.
- WPC is PMA’s greatest threat; the consortium has agreements with car manufacturers to install Qi charging stations in North American cars.
- “To hedge their bets, some automakers and other companies are testing multiple standards. Others are embedding several technologies into their gear,” Businessweek writes. “The ultimate winning standard of wireless charging may not emerge until at least 2014, says Jason dePreaux, principal analyst at IHS. What could tip the scales is the maker of the world’s most popular smartphone, Apple, which has yet to back a standard.”
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