Three standards bodies and a handful of start-ups are battling to set standards for wireless charging ‘ clearly overkill in an area where the industry needs to avoid the fragmentation that afflicted wired device charging for so long. A step towards unification may be close, with Qualcomm ‘ a major mover in the charging arena, and co-founder of one of the three competing bodies, the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) ‘ also joining the board of the rival Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).
This has given rise to speculation that the two parties could merge, which would then put pressure on the third contender, the Power Matters Alliance (PMA), to seek a common standard. The WPC’s chairman Menno Treffers announced Qualcomm’s decision on the organization’s web site. Its technology, Qi, has gained wider adoption in devices than the others ‘ in 300 products, according to the WPC, which has more than 170 members, 24 of them on the board.
The A4WP was formed by Qualcomm and Samsung in May 2012 and they attracted Intel’s support a year later. The body now claims to have over 50 members and recently held a plugfest for gadgets supporting its A4WP v1.0 specifications, and announced a branding and certification program somewhat like that of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Qualcomm’s latest move is expected to lead to the firm supporting both specs in its WiPower technology, particularly because it has recently been extending that aggressively to electric car chargers and in-car charging. Its Halo system, acquired in 2011, will be part of the new FIA Formula E electric racing car events, which will be a valuable testing ground for the broader electric vehicle sector.
However, in another aspect of the important vehicular sector, Qi was recently chosen for a proposed in-car charging standard, which is backed by several major auto firms including Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen.
That is sure to make Qualcomm owner whether to support both specs, and that, in turn, could set the stage for a merger of the two platforms.
A4WP’s system is based on near-field magnetic resonance technology running in 6.78MHz spectrum. The PMA backs the Power 2.0 spec, which ‘ like Qi ‘ is based on magnetic induction technology. Recently, Duracell subsidiary Powermat Technologies, the originator of Power 2.0, agreed to merge with its European counterpart, PowerKiss, which had previously backed Qi.
Power 2.0 has also won support from AT&T and Procter & Gamble and scored a notable victory when Starbucks agreed to instal the technology in its US coffee shops.
There are pros and cons to the two main technologies. Magnetic resonance allows for a larger charging field than magnetic induction, but charging multiple devices at the same time can increase charging time by sharing current, some experts argue. Meanwhile, magnetic induction ensures peak electrical transfer, but devices cannot be moved around very much while charging.
The A4WP is keen to present itself as the more advanced in technology terms, and also aloof from industry feuds. “Remaining above the fray of the squabble that has broken out between first generation players WPC and PMA, A4WP has kept its eye on the next generation and enhanced user experience through wireless charging spatial freedom,” said A4WP chairman Kamil Grajski earlier this year, pointing to a ‘generational shift’.
Qualcomm has agreed to license its implementation of A4WP to Gill Electronics and it will be incorporated in products such as cars and office furniture by next year. Brad Miller, director of advanced development at Gill, told ZDnet: ‘I expect we will have products in the market by the end of this year, with mass market adoption taking place in 2014 when other A4WP members start delivering consumer devices with the technology already embedded into the devices.’
However, it may now extend that program to other specifications too, though it would be in consumers’ interests if some harmonization was achieved, at least in mobile devices. Even then, this is a technology in its early days and further developments will be seen, whether within industry bodies or not. Recently, start-up Ossia unveiled a long range wireless charging platform called Cota, which can deliver targeted energy to multiple devices throughout a two-storey home. Its patented smart antenna technology uses phased arrays to transfer power, which removes the need for mats or other close contact. Instead, Cota is incorporated in a transmitter, which automatically locates receivers built into devices or batteries, and delivers signals to them continuously, even if they are being moved around.