Samsung has been into wireless charging technology for its smartphones since its 2014 Galaxy S5. Apple was late to the party by introducing it in its flagship iPhone models last year. Along with Apple, various other manufacturers have been relying on Qi standard wireless charging solutions for their supported products. However, Samsung wants to bring a change in this field by stepping up the ladder with new technology.
A patent filed back in 2016 by the South Korean technology giant illustrates a new technology where wireless charging could work over-the-air (OTA). The wireless charging patent showcases that this technology could work within a range of 1 metre in the initial stages and could be improved as the time fly by. The OTA wireless charging will employ a transmitter that converts electricity to radio frequencies. And, the reflectors placed in the range direct those frequencies straight to the phone.
Samsung OTA wireless charging patent filed back in 2016. (Photo: World Intellectual Property Organisation)
Apple also had similar OTA wireless patents filed before. The company had also planned to introduce in its 2017 iPhones, but eventually, they stick to standard Qi wireless charging, which could be due to the fact that the expensive FaceID technology combined with this OTA might even cost more for both the company and the consumer.
With the all these patents filed, the OTA wireless charging sure sounds like a menacing technology. But, we still do not know how many of these patents will make it to reality in the future. As Samsung is ahead of the game compared to Apple, we can expect it to be the first to bring the technology to a commercial extent. Who knows, it might feature in the upcoming Galaxy Note 9?
