However, the Power Matters Alliance is facing stiff competition from other wireless power standards groups, such as the Alliance for Wireless Power and the Wireless Power Consortium. The WPC is pushing for the Qi standard, which is PMA’s biggest rival and it’s also backed by a number of large hardware vendors like Samsung, Motorola, LG, and HTC.

However, now that AT&T, Google, and Starbucks are on board at PMA, the alliance could make some solid progress in their pursuit for a wireless power standard. Starbucks is planning to pilot a new program where it will bring Duracell Powermat charging stations to 17 Boston locations, and it could lead to a nation-wide rollout in the future.

Not only will the addition of more big-name companies help out the alliance, but the companies themselves that formed the alliance (like Duracell) will see a major boost in publicity and sales. Other companies that are backing PMA include Delta Airlines and General Motors, as well as celebrities like Jay-Z and big-name attractions like Madison Square Garden in New York City.

There are number of smartphone accessories on the market that will allow you to do just this with all sorts of Android devices and the iPhone. Intel and IDT are working together on integrating wireless charging into Intel ultrabooks, AIO computers, smartphones, and stand-alone chargers. Intel and IDT face increasing pressure in the wireless power market with competing standards already out there.

It would certainly be better for consumers if one standard were adopted across the industry. If we end up with multiple standards and play it would mean incompatibility between products. IDT is a company that builds SoCs that can be customized to meet the needs of its OEM customers. The company also works with all the standards bodies potentially giving it a leg up on becoming an industry-wide standard.

IDT can also tweak its products allowing OEMs to support any wireless charging standard. I think wireless power will be a very big deal for most consumers. I hope industry settles on one specific standard. Right now one of the most common is Qi and the standard is supported in many accessories for wireless charging of smartphones in the aftermarket. Intel is hoping that support for wireless charging is rolled out by OEMs much quicker than support for its DisplayPort was rolled out.

[via EE Times]