Wireless charging, although now not a new feature, is becoming more recognised by the consumers thanks to Apple’s recent device launches of the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Whilst some people are reluctant to make the switch from wired charging for fear of the unknown, some have purchased a wireless charger and may not realise they are not using it to its full potential. Although the mobile tech market is still a few years off wireless-only products, it’s certainly heading that way… 90% of consumers have awareness of wireless charging and 80% of which plan to purchase wireless charging products…. So it’s best to get educated before all of your household devices turn wireless.Wireless charging, although now not a new feature, is becoming more recognised by the regular consumer with Apple’s recent device launches of the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Whilst some people are reluctant to make the switch from wired charging for fear of the unknown, some have purchased a wireless charger and may not realise they are not using it to its full potential. Although the mobile tech market is still a few years off wireless-only products, it’s certainly heading that way; so it’s best to get educated before all of your household devices turn wireless.
Currently, the fastest way to charge your phone is still wired charging. That’s why we would always recommend charging your smartphone, if you’re in a rush, from a wall charger (see the full range of QDOS charging cables). However, for general smartphone charging, we certainly find wireless charging to be the more convenient and appealing solution. In fact, 93% of consumers find wireless charging appealing*¹. If you are also attracted to the convenience of wireless charging then you should definitely consider a wireless charger, more specifically one that supports fast charge.
What’s the difference between fast charge and standard? A fast charge enabled device will simply charge your smartphone quicker. A standard Qi wireless charger will run at 5W, and this is ok if you use it to charge your phone overnight or leave it at the office all day, because it will keep the phone juiced. A fast charge Qi wireless charger runs at a minimum 7.5W, which allows it to charge much quicker. As the 7.5W Fast Charge is exclusive to Apple, all other devices which are fast charge run at a higher wattage, for instance, Samsung Fast Charge optimum is 15W.
Do you still feel your smartphone charges slowly even with a fast charge device? Don’t worry, your wireless charger probably still supports fast charge, but there may be a few reasons why it may not be reaching its full potential.
Always make sure your smartphone is updated, as this could include updates linked to fast charging. A prime example of this was with Apple’s release of the iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus in late 2017. The devices originally only supported 5W wireless charging. That was until iOS 11.2 was released in December, which allowed all 3 devices to support 7.5W Fast Charge, meaning the devices were able to charge much more quickly and supported fast charge. The norm with Samsung and other Qi-enabled smartphones is that they are launched with fast charge already enabled, although in the future, they might well require updates to gain faster speeds.
It’s worth checking if your smartphone supports fast charge before you buy wireless charging accessories. For example, if your smartphone does not support fast charge, then you do not necessarily need to purchase a 10W wireless charger, as your smartphone will only be able to withdraw a 5W output.
Your wireless charger may also be limited by the wall output. The majority of wireless chargers simply come with a USB cable plugin, as most people already have a USB-mains adapter that came with their smartphone/other devices. However, if you were to plug the USB end into Apple’s standard iPhone wall adapter, or the wall adapter which comes with the Galaxy S8, these both only have a maximum output of 5W. This means your charger will only take the 5W of power that is available. Therefore, your iPhone X/Galaxy S8, for example, will not be able to fast charge. You would need to get yourself a larger mains adapter so it can access the power it needs to support fast charge for your smartphone. For instance, if you also have an iPad/Galaxy Tablet, these come with a 12W or 10W mains adapter respectively, which makes them ideal mains adapters for your wireless charger to support fast charge.
Finally, always make sure your charger is Qi certified. Qi is the industry wireless charging standard across most major devices. A Qi certified device means these devices have been put through their paces in terms of testing to ensure the best possible outcome for the end user by WPC who are the governing body of all things wireless power. You can easily spot a Qi certified product by the Qi logo. This is allowed only on certified products. Secondly, a Qi certified product will be issued with a certificate by the WPC which can be found online. If your charger isn’t Qi certified, then you will certainly encounter performance issues if your smartphone is Qi-enabled. These issues could include metal objects getting hot, your smartphone getting hot and high voltages being generated. Ultimately, they can be a safety hazard. Remember, if a product suggests it uses the Qi standard, it doesn't mean it's Qi certified.
The QDOS AirMat is a minimum 10W Wireless Charger that supports Fast Charge for all Qi-enabled devices, so we advise using a 10W mains adapter to ensure the AirMat is charging as fast as it can. This wireless charger comes with 3 coils, increasing the charge surface area of the device, so it’s incredibly easy to just place your smartphone down to start charging! Learn more about the QDOS AirMat Qi wireless charger here.
*¹ Stats taken from WPC 2016 Global Consumer Study with Toluna Reseach December 2016