Qualcomm WiPower brings wireless charging to mobile devices with metal cases

Wireless charging is slowly becoming a crucial feature for phone makers to distinguish their devices from others. Qualcomm has announced its new solution that allows wireless charging for devices with metal exteriors. Using Qualcomm WiPower technology, the new solution has been designed to be compliant with the Rezence standard. In a press statement, the company said that the techniques for designing a device to charge through a metal back cover along with a full suite of WiPower reference designs are available starting today to WiPower licensees. So far, charging a device with a metal exterior has been incompatible with wireless charging technologies, making this new solution a breakthrough in the mobile world. “Building a wireless charging solution into devices with metal exteriors is a significant step for moving the entire industry forward,” said Steve Pazol, General Manager of Wireless Charging, Qualcomm Incorporated. “Today, more device manufacturers are choosing to utilize metal alloys in their product designs to provide greater structural support and, of course, aesthetics. QTIs engineering advancement eliminates a major obstacle facing wireless power and opens up the continued adoption of this desirable feature to a much wider range of consumer electronics and use cases.” It should be noted that WiPower as well as other technologies that meet the Rezence standard function at a frequency more tolerant of metal objects that come within the charge field. This means one could have objects like keys and coins in the charge field without affecting the charging process. “This advancement maintains WiPower’s existing ability to charge devices requiring up to 22 watts today, at speeds equal to or faster when compared to other wireless charging technologies,” claims the company. WiPower - based on Near Field Magnetic Resonance technology - offers greater flexibility and convenience in wireless charging. It allows a wide range of compatible consumer-electronic and handset devices to charge without the need for precise alignment or direct physical contact. The technology also allows simultaneous charging of multiple devices with different power requirements while using Bluetooth Smart to minimize hardware requirements.