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`Decade in review: 2012 brought Qi
`wireless charging and reinvented how we
`juice up our phones
`The Qi standard for inductive charging completely changed the landscape
`for the future of smartphones, including the iPhone!
`
`LUKE FILIPOWICZ
`
`23 Dec 2019
`
`! 0
`
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`Apple didn't invent or create Qi wireless charging and was actually
`one of the last major phone manufacturers to include wireless
`charging in their phones. Apple doesn't even have an official
`branded Qi wireless charging pad of its own. Apple doesn't really
`have anything to do with Qi charging, and inductive charging in
`general, except when you start to look at the bigger picture.
`
`The Qi charging standard for inductive charging changed the
`landscape of smartphones as we knew it, and when it comes to the
`future of all phones — iPhone included — the technology has a ton
`to offer.
`
`A brief history of Qi wireless charging
`
`Qi is an open interface that is used for wireless power transfer via
`inductive charging that was developed by the Wireless Power
`Consortium. That's a fancy way of saying it's a bunch of companies
`that work together to promote the use of Qi wireless charging
`around the world.
`
`Source: Rene Ritchie/iMore
`
`Apple
`
`Apple across the
`decade
`
`Rene Ritchie's
`product of the
`decade
`
`The iPad
`
`iPhone 4s
`
`Qi charging
`
`iPhone 5c
`
`iOS 8
`
`Apple Watch
`
`Pokémon Go
`
`Nintendo Switch
`
`iPad Pro
`
`iPhone 11 Pro
`
`Nintendo
`
`
`Top Google
`stories of the
`decade
`
`Google Home &
`Google Assistant
`
`Moto X
`
`Roku
`
`! VPN Deals: Lifetime license for $16, monthly plans at $1 &
`more
`Don't miss out
`
`Qi is a standard for inductive charging, but there were other
`organizations competing with Qi for a while. The biggest
`competitor was likely the Power Matters Alliance. Qi has largely
`"won" the wireless charging war. as now Qi wireless charging is
`available in many smartphones from almost every major phone
`manufacturer. Of course, it all started with one.
`
`Remember Windows Phone? Qi wireless
`charging sure does
`
`Source: Windows Central
`
`While Qi was "invented" in 2008, the first widely-available phone to
`adopt the Qi standard and feature wireless charging was the Nokia
`Lumia 920 in 2012. The Samsung Galaxy S3 (also made available in
`2012) was Qi wireless charging compatible with an additional
`accessory, but Nokia put it into the phone itself.
`
`"
`
`Fun fact: The picture above is so old, it still has the watermark from
`when our sister site, Windows Central, was called Windows Phone
`Central — where has the time gone!
`
`2012 marks the year when the idea of charging your phone with a
`cable plugged into your device started to become a thing of the
`past. Suddenly, you could put your phone down on a charging pad
`and watch the battery percentage go up — it was kind of like
`magic.
`
`What does this have to do with Apple?
`
`Source: iMore
`
`Look, it's no secret that Apple was a little late to the Qi wireless
`charging game. It didn't include inductive charging into its iPhone
`lineup until the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X was released
`in the fall of 2017, and by that point, plenty of other companies had
`been including it in their phones for a few years.
`
`The benefit of Apple waiting a bit longer is that the company
`avoided the brief period where multiple wireless charging standards
`were prominent. Adopting the Qi standard once it came out on top
`was an easy decision, plus with the iPhone X being the 10th
`anniversary of the iPhone, a big design overhaul made a lot of
`sense. Regardless of why or why not Apple waited, Apple getting
`into the Qi wireless charging game is a big win for everyone, not
`just Apple users.
`
`Regardless of whether you love or hate the iPhone, it's one of the
`top-selling smartphones around the world. Lots of people use it
`every day, and therefore, when a company like Apple adopts new
`technology, the industry follows suit.
`
`The adoption of Qi wireless charging has rapidly increased over the
`last few years. Airports have charging pads all over. IKEA makes
`lamps that have built-in Qi charging pads; even Starbucks includes
`tables with charging pads inside so you can enjoy your java and
`charge your phone. I'm not saying this growth is entirely because of
`Apple ( that would be a ridiculous claim), but it's contribution
`certainly didn't hurt.
`
`What will Qi do for the future?
`
`Recently, the internet went crazy when the rumor was reported that
`by 2021 the iPhone might have absolutely no ports at all. The
`headphone jack has been gone a while now, but this would mean
`the Lightning port would also be gone. There is absolutely no way
`this would even be in the realm of possibility if Qi wireless charging
`hadn't made its way into the smartphone world back in 2012.
`
`Of course, this is just a rumor, and that doesn't mean changing to a
`portless design wouldn't be without its problems. Over the air
`updates and device data recovery can be tricky but put all your
`doubt away for a second and think of what this could mean for the
`future.
`
`Wireless charging, as of right now, is only so fast, but it's getting
`faster — and something like a portless phone would only encourage
`development in these areas. Waterproofing phones without ports is
`easier (and less expensive to some degree), charging devices with
`other devices (like you can with Samsung's flagship) would become
`even more useful, and likely prominent. The future is pretty bright
`for a world where Qi wireless charging reigns supreme.
`
`None of it would be possible without the Qi wireless charging
`standard being included in the Lumia 920 in 2012.
`
`WUT?WUT?
`UK woman orders an iPhone 12 Pro Max,
`gets a broken tile instead
`New iPhone day should be exciting. But not if you
`get a broken tile instead.
`
`
`SITTING PRETTYSITTING PRETTY
`Apple says Epic helping its case with
`witnesses and irrelevant issues
`A new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman
`includes information from an Apple representative
`that says Epic Games has spent its time during its
`trial with Apple discussing "irrelevant issues" and
`that it is calling witnesses helpful to Apple's case.
`
`
`TRUE COLORSTRUE COLORS
`Prosser: New MacBook could feature colors
`like iMac
`A new report from serial Apple Leaker Jon Prosser
`says Apple may adopt colors for its new MacBook
`models just like it did with the iMac.
`
`
`MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!
`Get your iPhone 12 fitted out for May the
`Fourth with these epic cases
`Whether you're on the dark side or a follower of the
`light, there is a Star Wars case that is exactly right
`for your iPhone 12. Check out some of the best
`options here.
`
`!
`
`View Comments (0)
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