Apple may be planning to introduce faster charging in its 2018 iPhone models, according to a leaked research note. The company is expected to launch three new iPhone models this year, those bringing the fast-charging capabilities introduced with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models. Assuming the report is true, recharging won't take as long with the upcoming models.
Mophie has added a new, higher-power wireless charging pad to its line-up, delivering the fast wireless charge that the latest iPhone X, Galaxy S9, and other recent smartphones are greedy for. The new Mophie Charge Stream Pad+ looks pretty much identical to its predecessor, though what's changed inside is key.
Samsung has patented technology for true wireless charging -- that is, charging that doesn't even require the phone to touch the charging pad. Such technology has been dreamed about for decades, once being a common element in science fiction, soon hopefully to be a reality. Per the patent, Samsung's system would make it possible to wirelessly charge a mobile device from nearly anywhere in a room, even while the owner uses it.
Apple, at long last, embraced wireless charging. Despite the continued existence of the rivaling PMA group, the WPC’s Qi technology has become the de facto wireless charging standard, especially after Powermat jumped onboard. But even with major business hurdles being cleared, wireless charging still remains at the periphery. A feature that is indeed available on a few high-end phones but not always used, much less promoted as a must-have. It has already been in use and in the market for years, so why is wireless charging still a niche feature? Ultimately, it boils down to its ironic inconvenience.
As the US's leading electric car maker, Tesla knows well that its growing success depends just as much on an accessible charging infrastructure as on simply being able to make enough vehicles to meet demand. Following its previous charing network initiatives, including supercharger locations and charging installations at hotels and restaurants, Tesla has announced another program, this time aimed at business offices.
It’s already 2018 and if you thought that the Pixel 2’s and Pixel 2 XL’s odyssey in the land of bugs is over, better think again. Just a few days ago, owners of Google’s embattled 2017 smartphones reported severe performance problems after installing the latest Android update. Now some Pixel 2 XL owners are claiming that their phones aren’t charging quickly despite displaying that it’s “Charging rapidly”. Apparently, those charging speeds depend on the battery’s temperature and the Pixel 2 XL doesn’t even give you a hint.
Fumbling for charging cables and even charging pads could soon become a thing of the past. That is if Energous will be able to take advantage of the door that has just been opened for it. The company’s WattUp Mid Field Transmitter has just gotten the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, making it the first “power-at-a-distance” wireless charging tech to get the green light. Should actual commercial products get created from this tech, it could mean we’d be charging devices from as far as three feet away from the charger.
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is notable for being the first Xiaomi device to be enrolled in the Android One program. It isn’t, however, notable for having the latest Android version, despite being part of that said program. That said, Xiaomi has already gotten the ball rolling to bring Android 8.0 Oreo to the mid-range device and it even threw in one unexpected treat. The smartphone can now charge from zero to full in one and a half hour, becoming Xiaomi’s first device to use Qualcomm’s Quick Charge tech.
The Galaxy S9 seems to be shaping up to be somewhat of a disappointment. Just recently, a leak seemed to confirm that it might not have dual cameras, which is being reserved for its Galaxy S9+ sibling. Now a new leak claims that, despite being powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 845, it won’t actually be supporting Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Quick Charge 4+ technology. But as it turns out, that might actually open a bigger can of worms as well.
Forget charging your phone with a cord; if it supports wireless charging, that's the way to go. It's convenient and, thanks to TeknFun's new Pikachu Wireless Charger, potentially adorable. The charger is designed to look like Pikachu lying on its stomach, the wireless charging surface residing on its back. The charger measures nearly 10 inches across.
When the OnePlus 5T launched, critics and even some fans were quick to chide the startup for missing the boat yet again on wireless charging. With even Apple onboard, wireless charging is surely the future, right? It might be so, but that future isn’t going to be fast, OnePlus is basically saying. It still believes that its own wired charging offers an even faster experience, and it seems it has found a believer in Tom’s Guide.
There is no such thing as a perfect smartphone. Even the Google Pixel, especially the new Pixel 2, forces even its fans to compromise on some things. While Google has, like it or not, embraced wireless audio by ditching the 3.5 mm headphone jack, it seems to still snub the other wireless trend: charging. One of Google's reasons is that wireless charging isn't fast enough and there is some truth to that. "USB C Crusader" Benson Leung reveals exactly how much power the Pixel 2 can take in.