Smartphones to get Intel wireless charging early next year


Intel will be launching its own wireless charging technology as soon as next year, new reports reveal.


Better yet, the new Intel-stamped solutions will be shipping in actual smartphones, although it’s not yet clear which handsets will make use of the tech.


According to FocusTaiwan, Intel’s general manager of wireless charging Kumar Chinnaswamy confirmed that several smartphones have been certified as ‘ready to go’ with the firm’s in-house solution.


Chinnaswamy also revealed that devices demanding healthier portions of juice, i.e. tablets and notebooks, would be getting Intel charging functionality in the second half of the year.


The Intel charging don says the firm wants to focus on mid-to-high-end laptops first, with a ‘no wires’ future being possible for low-end tech by 2016 or 2017.


He added that these notebooks in question would be running Intel’s own low-power Core M chips.


While it’s not confirmed exactly how Intel’s charging system will work, the company is backing a standards organisation called Alliance for Wireless Power, which is promoting magnetic resonance technology.


It’s likely that Intel’s own systems will use the same technology to power up consumer devices.


A4WP has 135 members signed onto its scheme currently, including Qualcomm, Samsung, Asus, and Acer.


The Alliance is currently battling with the Wireless Power Consortium, owners of Qi, for wireless charging standard dominance.


WPC currently has 137 members signed up across 15 countries, with north of 100 products certified with Qi.


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