According to a recent analysis by NuCurrent, smartphones remain the dominant category for Qi wireless charging receivers in the industry with earbuds and charging cases emerging as new entrants that are leveraging the technology. Qi has become the global wireless charging standard for smartphones, enabling safe and interoperable powering of these widely used devices.
Led by the Wireless Power Consortium, Qi is now used in billions of devices, including approximately 500 million that feature NuCurrent technology. Hearables are one of the fastest growing device categories with new products from Apple, Samsung, Google, OnePlus, among others. These earbuds with wireless charging support use Qi to deliver power to the case, which in turn charges the earbuds via metal contacts. Like smartphones, hearable devices are compact devices that stay with the user all day and require frequent recharging.
The size of the earbuds case – which is large enough for a wire-wound coil – makes Qi a suitable choice for these devices, especially when considering the benefit of being able to charge these cases on standard wireless phone chargers. As is often the case in personal technology, fast followers are now entering the market.
Qi Receiver Chart
Notably absent from this Qi receivers list are other forms of wearable and hearable devices like fitness trackers, smart glasses, watches and smart jewellery. And the reason is simple: these devices have form factors that make it difficult to create designs that can achieve Qi’s interoperability standards. But that does not mean these devices will be left out of the wireless charging game. New wireless charging standards from the NFC Forum were recently ratified, bringing 1W of power transferred (about 500mW received) along with 106 kb/s worth of data.
It is clear that size no longer determines a product’s fit for wireless power — all new personal tech should have wireless power enabled, or risk getting overlooked by consumers. For product managers of devices with particularly small form-factors and high data, NFC charging is likely the optimal solution – whereas Qi charging should be considered by those looking to prioritize power delivery and interoperability.
Click here to learn more about Qi wireless charging.
