Wireless Charging

As convenient as wireless charging may be at times, their convenience ends the moment you lift the phone off its pad even by just a bit to use it. There have been multiple attempts in the past to solve that problem but now it seems that smartphone makers are making bold steps in that direction. Following Xiaomi and Motorola, OPPO is preparing to show off its own take on over-the-air or OTA wireless charging and it is interestingly using its rollable phone to do so.

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Satechi is back with a new version of the USB wireless charger it launched for AirPods early last year. The new version, which Satechi calls the USB-C Watch AirPods Charger, features a 2-in-1 design that is used to charge both the Apple Watch and the AirPods, depending on which direction you plug it into your MacBook or iPad.

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In just the span of two days, we've had two separate smartphone manufacturers show off different wireless charging systems that can charge phones over-the-air. First it was Xiaomi showing off its Mi Air Charge, and now it's Motorola, which is teasing a system that can charge phones from as far as 100cm away. Not only that, but we saw the wireless charger even charging multiple phones at the same time.

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Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi and OPPO seem to be locked in a race for the best smartphone charging speeds, some of them even going to seemingly dangerous extremes. For now, though, it seems that Xiaomi has just gotten the upper hand with the revelation of the Mi Air Charge that takes wireless charging to its logical next step. The fine details may be a bit disappointing but it could still serve as the foundation for the company's future technologies not just in mobile but in IoT as well.

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When it comes to batteries, you almost always have to make a compromise between power and size. That's more true with portable batteries where mobility plays a more critical role. There are times, however, when the reverse is true and charging power becomes the deciding factor. The latter is true for Maxoak's newest portable power station, the 2000Wh Bluetti AC200P, which uses the term "portable" very loosely, at least in comparison to other portable power stations. In exchange, however, you won't have to make that many compromises in what or how many you can juice up with it.

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Belkin is a trusted brand when it comes to accessories for smartphones and tablets to the point that even Apple carries some of its products on its own store. That, however, doesn't mean it is exempt from having problems, some of which can lead to disastrous accidents if not immediately addressed. That seems to be the case here with one of its wireless chargers, a special one that it launched last year and was carried by Apple as well, that is now being recalled immediately due to serious safety hazards.

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Samsung has been putting out wireless charging pads long before Apple even embraced wireless charging technologies. It also didn't miss opportunities to poke fun at Apple's missteps in that arena, like the stillborn AirPower charging pads. A few months back, it also took jabs at the new MagSafe wireless charger's limits, both in charging output and placement, with its Wireless Charger Trio. According to a fresh new leak, Samsung will continue that tradition this week, though in a more toned-down manner.

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Motherson Innovations Company Limited is making a strategic investment in Aira, Inc. to accelerate the development of wireless charging for car interiors. Aira is best known for its FreePower wireless charging technology, first seen in Nomad’s Base Station Pro. Unlike traditional wireless chargers, Aira’s FreePower can simultaneously charge multiple devices regardless of where the gadget is on the pad.

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Apple's MagSafe for iPhone system can be a whole lot more convenient for charging than plugging in a Lightning cable, but Satechi may in some ways have just bested the official MagSafe adapter. As with previous iPhone accessories, Apple's plan is to license out MagSafe to third-parties so that they can fill out the ecosystem. In some cases, that means adding some advantages over Apple's own products.

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The AirPower wireless charging mat may have been a complete disaster but Apple definitely made a comeback when it announced its new MagSafe wireless chargers. Apple actually announced two chargers in October but only one has been available, perhaps raising worries of a repeat of the AirPower. Although there were hints at an upcoming launch date, it is definitely a pleasant surprise to see the MagSafe Duo Charger finally available for sale, though people might want to keep an important thing or two in mind before they buy one.

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One of the perhaps less advertised features of the Pixel 5 is its reverse wireless charging. Formally branded as "Battery Share", the feature lets you share the phone's already mediocre 4,080 mAh battery with other devices that need an emergency boost, be it the Pixel Buds or even another smartphone. This feature is becoming more common among high-end flagships but Pixel 5 owners might be surprised that it suddenly turns on when charging the phone itself. Just like theo screen gap, this is actually by design, not a bug.

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The Apple MagSafe system keeps revealing tidbits of functionality and features - and they're not all good. A support document for the MagSafe Charger was updated this week to show how it'll function differently depending on the device to which it is attached. If it is connected to an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max, it'll run with 15W peak power delivery. If it is connected to an iPhone 12 Mini, the MagSafe Charger maxes out at 12W peak power delivery.

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