Since Apple’s firm commitment to wireless charging in its new iPhone 8 and iPhone X , wireless charging has become one of the most fashionable and coveted technologies by smartphone owners and, with its arrival, the Industry linked to the consumer electronics sector has introduced a new range of accessories: the wireless charger (either charging base or external battery).
The convenience of being able to recharge your mobile simply by supporting it on a wireless charger without the need to connect a cable is a breakthrough in the mobile sector.
In addition, this charger, charging base or dock can generally have any shape or size, it can even be included in other objects such as a car dashboard or a lamp. What is really important is that it is a comfortable place to support and charge the device.
Before taking a look at which devices are capable of supporting wireless charging and which are the best wireless chargers available on the market , we will try to explain in a simple way how this charging technology works. But, if you can’t wait, these are the Top 3 Wireless Charger for Mobile in Australia selling in Amazon.com.au
The more that you read, the more things you will know…
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Contents
What is wireless charging?
First of all, clarify that wireless charging is not magic or completely eliminates cables.
The difference is that the cable is connected to the charging base and not to the mobile, which we will simply support on the wireless charger, so we could really say that current wireless charging is more of a contact charge.
Wireless charging is not a technology invented by a single manufacturer for a single charger , but there are several standards among which the Qi standard devised by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and the Powermat standard belonging to the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) stand out. ).
Both the Qi and PMA standards use electromagnetic induction to power a device that, necessarily, must be positioned on the wireless charger. However, PMA differs from Qi in using a lower frequency and less efficient load, and the connection protocols are different.
Currently, Qi is the most used, most developed and efficient by which large manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi have opted to include this standard in their new devices.
In short, as it is a standard charger that always works in the same way, it will be enough to buy a wireless charger with Qi technology to be able to power any device that is compatible with this technology.
How does wireless charging work?
The Qi wireless charging system works by bringing two charging coils together and connecting them both by means of a magnetic induction process , which allows the transfer of energy between the charging base and the device.
The charging base is physically connected to the electrical network (by means of a cable) and transfers the necessary electrical energy to its internal coil, which, in turn, will be transferred by magnetic induction to the other coil present in the device ready to be charged.
In a first phase, the amount of energy that is transmitted is low and it is only to be able to communicate both systems and verify that they work according to the Qi standard.
When this procedure ends, the amount of energy transmitted from the base increases and the coil present in the receiving device converts the magnetic energy into electrical energy, thereby charging the device’s battery.
The output power of the coil present in the charging device is controlled by a chip that verifies the levels of power generated , so that they are not higher than those normally supplied by a traditional wall charger: eventually, the energy level generated is proportionally decreased to avoid overcharging or damaging the smartphone battery.
Which means that if the USB charger of your device charges at 5V at 1000 mAh, a Qi wireless charger will charge at a slightly lower power, around 700 mAh to be able to work safely.
Is my phone compatible with Qi wireless charging?
If you have a state-of-the-art mobile or tablet, it surely has Qi technology integrated to recharge wirelessly. To verify this, you simply have to check whether the phrase ” Qi integrated ” or simply ” Wireless charge built-in ” is present in the specifications indicated by the manufacturer .
But there are also many mobiles on the market that are compatible with this technology and we will only have to connect a Qi receiver module to be able to pair with the wireless charger . (Such Qi receiver must be purchased separately)
You will be surprised by the number of compatible mobiles, which is not, in fact, a novelty, but has gained strength thanks to the greater availability of bases for charging through this system and the arrival of Apple.
You can access an updated list of devices compatible with wireless charging here .
Features of a wireless charger
Next, we will know the characteristics that you must take into account when buying a wireless charger, as well as its operation:
Charger and cable for charging base
As we have mentioned, with wireless charging you do not need cables to recharge the mobile, but the wireless charger must be connected to a power source in order to work. Therefore, we need a USB charger and a micro USB cable to connect to the charging base.
Normally, the charger is not included while the charging cable is . For this reason, when choosing the charger, you must take into account the power (W) that it is capable of supplying:
For example, if the wireless charging base supports 2A, you should use a charger that is capable of supplying that current so that your mobile phone does not charge as slowly in said base later.
Fast (10W) and standard (5W) wireless charging
Although wireless charging is more comfortable it has the disadvantage that the charging speed is slower than the wired connection.
Any wireless charger supplies a power of 5W (5V to 1A) while current USB chargers provide a minimum of 10W (5V / 2A) and even those with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging up to 18W .
However, we can already find in the market fast-charging wireless chargers that supply up to 10W for Quick Charge compatible phones . Remember that in this case you will have to connect the charging base to a QC 3.0 charger.
Wireless charger vs conventional charger
Is a wireless charger worth it? Or is it better to continue using cable charging?
Let’s know the main advantages and disadvantages of wireless chargers compared to the use of a conventional USB charger:
PROs
- They considerably reduce the use of cables.
- They can even be installed in furniture for common use. Example: lamps, tables, sofas, etc.
- Their aesthetics are much better than conventional ones, which makes them, in many cases, one more decorative element.
CONs
- It is uncomfortable to use the phone while charging.
- Only a single device can be charged at a time.
- Not all mobiles are compatible.
- In some models, the mobile must be located in an exact position of the charger to charge.
- To use fast charging you need to connect it to a fast charging charger.
- By supplying a maximum of 10W (5V / 2A) the charging speed of our mobile is substantially limited.
Wireless car charger
We can also find wireless chargers to use in the car and comfortably recharge our mobile while we consult the GPS, listen to music or call a friend.
These chargers normally work just like a mobile car holder , that is, they are designed to be attached to the ventilation grille or to attach to the dashboard with a strong suction cup.
Of course, it is important to remind you that, once the wireless charger is installed, you have to plug it into the car cigarette lighter with a 12V USB adapter so that a mobile can be recharged.
And now yes! We already have our wireless charging support ready. Simply attach your mobile to it and it will immediately start to recharge.
The reason is because in the images of some Amazon products it seems that you only need to place your mobile and it will magically begin to recharge … this can confuse the buyer and the manufacturer should add the cable that connects the charger to the images with the cigarette lighter adapter.
In addition, manufacturers do not usually include the adapter with the product (only the charging cable), so you have to buy it separately … you can take a look at the best car chargers in Amazon.
Last update on 2023-03-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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