You already have heard about phone wireless charging technology. But even though you haven’t, I’m happy to be the first person to introduce it to you. So, what’s so special about this technology and why are phones and other gadget companies incorporating it in their devices? You’ll find out in this blog.
We also answer some of the common questions you might be having about phone wireless charging such as how it works, its efficiency as well as the pros and cons of phone wireless charging technology.
Understanding phone wireless charging technology
First things first, what exactly is phone wireless charging technology? Just like the term suggests, wireless charging technology allows you to charge your phone without having to plug a cable into your phone. All you do is place your phone on the wireless charger and it starts to charge. The wireless charger has to, however, be plugged into the source of power first before you can start charging your phone.
Is this magic? How does it work? Here’s the thing: wireless charging dates back to a century ago even though most of us are just starting to understand how it works. It’s been there only that it keeps getting better and efficient as developers continue to improve it. Nikola Tesla was the guy who first invented how to pass electricity through the air but it was until recent years that the idea became quite practical. This is the same technology that electric toothbrushes use.
With this technology, an electromagnetic field is created between the transmitter and the receiver. The wireless charger, which is the transmitter has a copper coil and your phone has another coil that receives the current. When you place your phone on a charging pad or hold it close to the pad, an electromagnetic field is created. Through electromagnetic induction, the coil in your phone converts the energy received to charge your phone’s battery.
How efficient is phone wireless charging?
For it to work, your phone has to be placed directly on the charging pad or be very close lest it’s not going to charge. Also, your phone needs to have the inbuilt technology to support wireless charging. If it doesn’t, you can buy a case that allows for wireless charging.
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Even though this technology is not 100% wireless since you still need to plug your wireless charger into a source of power, it’s convenient and reduces the messiness that comes with wires. Needless to mention that it helps you stay neat and unlike wired chargers that keep on getting spoiled, you won’t have to be replacing your wireless charger now and then.
Can you wireless charge a phone with a case?
The other common question people ask is if you can wireless charge your phone with a case on. Well, in most cases, a phone case won’t affect the wireless charging process. Unless the case is very thick or made of a material such as aluminum, it shouldn’t be a problem.
For this reason, phone companies are going for glass and plastic back covers to enable seamless wireless charging. If your phone case is too thick, remove it to allow charging or buy a thinner one.
Can I leave my phone wireless charging overnight?
For one reason or the other, you might need to leave your phone charging overnight. Or, sometimes you get carried away by sleep and only remember in the morning that you had a phone charging. But is this a safe habit?
First, it’s always a good idea not to overcharge any of your gadgets. Once it’s 100% full, just unplug it to avoid fast degradation of your battery. Even so, wireless chargers are built in such a way that they cannot overcharge your phone. As soon as they detect that the receiver is not taking more current, they automatically switch off and stop passing on more power. This is to say that even if you leave your phone wireless charging overnight, it’s still going to be safe.
Pros and cons of phone wireless charging technology
Nothing on the face of the earth is 100% perfect and wireless charging technology is no exception. Let’s start with the benefits that come with wireless charging your phone:
Pros
You can charge your phone overnight – as we have already mentioned, wireless charging is safe for overnight charging. Charging your phone overnight does not damage your phone’s battery so you can sleep peacefully without having to wake up in the mid of the night to check if your phone is fully charged.
Easy to organize – honestly, wires can get very messy, and keeping a place neat with wires all over is something most people would want to hack. But, wireless charging helps you be the organized guy you have always wanted to be. No more wires getting on your way.
Compatibility – If you have several phones, you don’t have to buy several chargers even if the phones are from different companies. Qi is the widely used technology in wireless charging and as long as both of your phones support it, one charger is enough.
Durability – how many times do you replace your USB cables? They are always getting spoiled and you never seem to find one that can last for quite a good time. Wireless chargers? Nothing of the sort. There isn’t that wear and tear that comes with having to hook your charger into your phone every time you need to charge. This makes them last longer hence saving you money.
Cons
You can’t use it when charging – You can still chat with your friends or watch anything when your phone is still charging with a wired charger. However, you cannot do this if you are using a wireless charger.
Slow charging – Wireless charging is yet to get to the same level as wired charging when it comes to charging speed. It’s quite slow but we hope that it’s going to improve with time.
It’s expensive – Compared to charging cables, wireless charging pads are pricier.
Conclusion
Phone wireless charging is still evolving which is a great thing because we know that the shortcomings will be addressed. Its future seems promising and we can tell that by how phone companies are embracing it.
Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Nokia, Sony, LG, Xiaomi, Oppo, Google, and OnePlus are just a few of the many phone companies that have embraced phone wireless charging technology in some of their phones.
