Why is wireless charging considered a selling point?

[onthecouchagain]

I don't understand the appeal either-I use my phone while it's plugged in all the time, a wireless charging mat would make that very difficult.

That's pretty much my thinking on the matter.

Far too often I want my phone to be charging and usable.

And you still can.

Don't forget the fact that no one is forcing you to buy the wireless charging pad and making you charge your devices only that way.

 

[matttye]

I have to ask what the drawbacks are? One would assume that it would become an industry standard so that once owned, the mat would charge all phones with that feature, that IMHO would negate the cost argument as the mat would be used on successive phones as they are acquired. I think Matt has summed it up perfectly. "why would one want to plug their phone into a charger when all one has to do is place it on a mat?"

My understanding at the moment is that some companies are using various different methods and they're not all compatible with each other, so you'll have pads that only work with a couple of phones.

Hopefully the industry will settle on a standard and stop using proprietary methods.

Source:

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging

And also from seeing products like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powermat-Home-Office-Wireless-Charging/dp/B002S51YZK

(look at the comments)

 

[daveathall]

My understanding at the moment is that some companies are using various different methods and they're not all compatible with each other, so you'll have pads that only work with a couple of phones.

Hopefully the industry will settle on a standard and stop using proprietary methods.

Source:

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging

And also from seeing products like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powermat-Home-Office-Wireless-Charging/dp/B002S51YZK

(look at the comments)

Good point, I would hope that in the future one would be able to walk into a coffee house for example, lay ones phone on the table and have it charge.

Edit; I see that the Amazon illustration has comments from 2009, I would hope that it has come on since then. Fair point nevertheless.

 

[siiip5]

And you still can.

Don't forget the fact that no one is forcing you to buy the wireless charging pad and making you charge your devices only that way.

It makes you wonder why Apple users are so afraid of technology and convenience? Or is it simply because Apple will never utilize the tech, and therefore perceived as unneeded?

 

[matttye]

Good point, I would hope that in the future one would be able to walk into a coffee house for example, lay ones phone on the table and have it charge.

That would be great!

Wireless charging is supposed to charge the phone when it's near the mat too, so you should be able to use your phone near the mat and still have it charge. Maybe existing implementations don't do this, but it's certainly possible with the technology itself.

 

[siiip5]

Good point, I would hope that in the future one would be able to walk into a coffee house for example, lay ones phone on the table and have it charge.

This is what Qi does. All new Samsung and Windows phones are now using this standard.

Mobile device manufacturers that are working with the standard include HTC, Huawei, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony. Apple will probably never join this group, since it can't control the wireless charging patent or standard, like they did with the micro sim.

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That would be great!

Wireless charging is supposed to charge the phone when it's near the mat too, so you should be able to use your phone near the mat and still have it charge. Maybe existing implementations don't do this, but it's certainly possible with the technology itself.

Nope. Inductive charging requires the two charging coils (one on charger and one on phone) to be less than 1.6 inches from each other.

 

[matttye]

Nope. Inductive charging requires the two charging coils (one on charger and one on phone) to be less than 1.6 inches from each other.

Exactly.. so it doesn't actually have to LAY on the mat, just be in close proximity to it.

 

[Tinmania]

After thinking about it I just realized I can get a decent dock for my phone for $25 that, while not as easy as wireless, is certainly easier than fiddling with a wire. Thinking that might be the way to go for the nightstand and/or desk.




Michael

 

[matttye]

Mobile device manufacturers that are working with the standard include HTC, Huawei, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony. Apple will probably never join this group, since it can't control the wireless charging patent or standard, like they did with the micro sim.

There's apparently something called the GetPowerPad Qi 1 which consists of a battery case and a charging pad for the iPhone 5. I don't think it's actually released yet, but seems like it's possible.

Who needs Apple?

Edit: the articles I read were very old. I don't even know if one is in the works, but I'm sure it is possible given that such things exist for the 4/4S. They surely just need to replace the old connector with lightning.

 

[Vegastouch]

That's not the point. The point is that you can just simply put the phone on the mat instead of having to fiddle with the plug.

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You do realize that you can use the regular style chargers just fine on phone with wireless charging.

Yeah...just not a selling point with me either. Its not hard to plug it in, even in the dark. Really imo if the charging pad is more than $10, it isnt worth it because i see no benefit.

 

[matttye]

Yeah...just not a selling point with me either. Its not hard to plug it in, even in the dark. Really imo if the charging pad is more than $10, it isnt worth it because i see no benefit.

How would you feel about a large pad that could charge, say, five devices? (including tablets)

That would be handy

 

[Vegastouch]

How would you feel about a large pad that could charge, say, five devices? (including tablets)

That would be handy

Well i dont have 5 devices to charge so its a no for me. However, that would be interesting if it would work with everything like the Mini, N7 and GS3, but Apple doesnt make anything that is compatible with everybody else.

Why the lightning plug? Just so they can make another $30 because nobody else uses it? That should be included with their products that need it. That's something about Apple that i find really messed up about them.

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the act of plugging a chord into your phone can be daunting for a lot of people, especially with the really small micro usb plug. you're never quite sure which way is the right way. you jam and poke, and if doesn't go in, you flip it around and jam and poke some more. and if it still doesn't go, then you gotta pay real attention to the orientation of the plug to see if you're doing it right. then you jam and poke to get the damn thing in (thank god for lightning).

LOL, c-mon, people arent smart enough to turn on your screen to SEE which way the plug is before you try to plug it in? And if it is daylight, for cris sakes LOOK at it....i dont know, some people just must be morons.

placing the phone on a mat, or orb, or touchstone is much simpler and really kind of cool. you put it down when you want it to charge, and you pick it up when you want to go. there's no fiddling around with plugs and chords, and it just works.

or at least it's supposed to. i had a palm pre, and the touchstone charger was great at first. no fiddling with the cables was doubly nice since you didn't have to deal with the door covering the usb port, but the negatives started to show quite quickly. wireless charging took at least twice as long to get a full charge, and the phone would get super hot while charging.

And there ya go. You just blew your first reason out of the water,...lol. Its really just a gimmick and something new but my plug has never failed me. I use common sense though
Again, if it is $10, id get one but if it is $40....no way!

 

[hovscorpion12]

Saves money. Wireless charging means, no wires. My house is full of iPad, iPod ,Mac, iPhone cables/wires. I looked amazing on the Nokia Lumia 920. One charging port for all Devices.

 

[matttye]

Well i dont have 5 devices to charge so its a no for me. However, that would be interesting if it would work with everything like the Mini, N7 and GS3, but Apple doesnt make anything that is compatible with everybody else.

Why the lightning plug? Just so they can make another $30 because nobody else uses it? That should be included with their products that need it. That's something about Apple that i find really messed up about them.

I have no doubt that the main reason was money.. although they were already making money off the old connector. It's hard to be angry when it's better than MicroUSB though.

Should standards never improve just because they're standards?

 

[Vegastouch]

I have no doubt that the main reason was money.. although they were already making money off the old connector. It's hard to be angry when it's better than MicroUSB though.

Should standards never improve just because they're standards?

If it is included with the device that NEEDS that type of connection to charge, then no. But to charge for it is fu**ing ridiculous. At some point us as consumers need to show companies that we dont like to be screwed like that, but look at what you said about it.

Basically your saying Its better than the included way of doing the same thing so why not pay that $30...even though they made the device to need that lightning plug.

If enough consumers would tell the stores they arent going to buy it unless you give them the lightning plug with it, then they wouldnt do it. I know id be writing Apple about it. Its a blatant ripoff to charge for that.

Its like buying a car from a certain car company and they charge you $99 for the steering wheel.

 

[matttye]

If it is included with the device that NEEDS that type of connection to charge, then no. But to charge for it is fu**ing ridiculous. At some point us as consumers need to show companies that we dont like to be screwed like that, but look at what you said about it.

Basically your saying Its better than the included way of doing the same thing so why not pay that $30...even though they made the device to need that lightning plug.

Huh? If consumers would tell the stores they arent going to buy it unless you give them the lightning plug with it, then they wouldnt do it.

Its like buying a car from a certain car company and they charge you $99 for the steering wheel.

Wait.. you don't have to pay anything extra, a lightning charger comes with the phone. Lightning accessories obviously command a premium because lightning is proprietary. Is that what you mean?

I don't know what you mean by saying "Its better than the included way of doing the same thing so why not pay that $30..." - lightning IS the included way on the iPhone 5.

I was saying Lightning is better than MicroUSB because: -

1) It's reversible.
2) It's really strong. No more running over cables and bending the pins with my PC chair!
3) It's apparently capable of charging faster than MicroUSB from what I've read.

 

[davidra]

If any of you had ever used a Palm Pre with a Touchstone, you wouldn't bother to ask the question. It was the single most convenient thing I've ever seen with a phone. Put one in the car, one on your desk. Of course, if your phone is a battery hog like the Pre was, it's particularly useful. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Talk to anyone who had one of those phones; I guarantee they miss that more than the interface (which ended up on Android).

 

[cynics]

My iPhone sits in exactly the same place every night. And I hate having every outlet full of chargers. I even have these around my house because I hate looking at ugly chargers.

So I'd be all about a charging mat that I could have on my night stand and just toss my phone on it before bed.

I really can't see why people would have a gripe with being given the option to use a mat if you wanted too. Oh no 40 bucks, seems like a better deal then a 20 dollar lightning cable from Apple, there's always Chinese knock offs I guess.

 

[Tinmania]

I have no doubt that the main reason was money.. although they were already making money off the old connector.

Wait.. you don't have to pay anything extra, a lightning charger comes with the phone. Lightning accessories obviously command a premium because lightning is proprietary. Is that what you mean?

They just weren't making enough money.




Michael

 

[bushido]

i dont get it either, now if u could plug in the matt but leave the phone ANYWHERE in the house and it would charge wireless. now THAT would be awesome

 

[Vegastouch]

Wait.. you don't have to pay anything extra, a lightning charger comes with the phone. Lightning accessories obviously command a premium because lightning is proprietary. Is that what you mean?

I don't know what you mean by saying "Its better than the included way of doing the same thing so why not pay that $30..." - lightning IS the included way on the iPhone 5.

I was saying Lightning is better than MicroUSB because: -

1) It's reversible.
2) It's really strong. No more running over cables and bending the pins with my PC chair!
3) It's apparently capable of charging faster than MicroUSB from what I've read.

My mistake. I thought people had to buy the lightning connector as an extra item with the phones. Sorry, i dont have a iPhone. Was what i recalled reading .Maybe they had to buy them for something else and i got it mixed up,..Im not really sure now but i do know it costs $30.

 

[matttye]

My mistake. I thought people had to buy the lightning connector as an extra item with the phones. Sorry, i dont have a iPhone. Was what i recalled reading. Im not really sure now but i do know it costs $30.

Nah. Maybe in some countries but definitely not the US/UK.

They're only $19 too:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M...&fs=s=topRated&m.iphoneCompatibility=iphone_5

But yeah, considerably more expensive than MicroUSB.

 

[Vegastouch]

My iPhone sits in exactly the same place every night. And I hate having every outlet full of chargers. I even have these around my house because I hate looking at ugly chargers.

Image

So I'd be all about a charging mat that I could have on my night stand and just toss my phone on it before bed.

I really can't see why people would have a gripe with being given the option to use a mat if you wanted too. Oh no 40 bucks, seems like a better deal then a 20 dollar lightning cable from Apple, there's always Chinese knock offs I guess.

Im not griping. I just dont see why it would be a good selling point. If it were given to us with teh phone it would be but you have to buy it. It isnt available yet and i think it will probably cost ya around $40. Im just saying i would only get one if it were $10 since i really dont think i need it. I charge my phone nightly in the same place.

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Nah. Maybe in some countries but definitely not the US/UK.

They're only $19 too:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M...&fs=s=topRated&m.iphoneCompatibility=iphone_5

But yeah, considerably more expensive than MicroUSB.

Must be the adapter that is $30 from 30 pin to lightning.

 

[matttye]

Why is wireless charging considered a selling point?

Must be the adapter that is $30 from 30 pin to lightning.

Yeah you're right about that they're capitalising off the fact that people want to be able to use their old accessories!

 

[onthecouchagain]

It makes you wonder why Apple users are so afraid of technology and convenience? Or is it simply because Apple will never utilize the tech, and therefore perceived as unneeded?

Well, you have people touting the new lightning cable is reversible.

It does make you wonder that if this was an Apple product, say the iMat, if wireless charging would be perceived differently. Some might even call it pushing the technology. :O