PSMA Update

Currently all commercial products use Qi (pronounced "chee", a Chinese word meaning energy flow) wireless technology developed by Wireless Power Consortium (WPC: www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com). The WPC alliance based in Piscataway, NJ, was formed in 2008 and was the first such alliance. It is an IEEE-ISTO (Industry Standard and Technology Organization) organization that has issued specification under Qi, an interface standard for inductive electrical power transfer over distances of up to 40 millimeters (1.6 inches). It is a simple magnetic induction where a mobile device is placed on top of the transmission pad to charge its battery. The primary carrier for this alliance is Verizon Wireless. Mobile phones made by Nokia (Lumia 920), Google (Nexus 4), LG (Spectrum 2) and Samsung (Galaxy S III) are now available with this technology. Though many phones associated with this technology are available in respective outlets these products are not widely available through major retailers such as Best Buy and Fry's Electronics. The WPC alliance or standards group has about 140 members, making it the largest such alliance group. It also includes a few leading power supply companies such as Chicony Power, Delta Energy Systems (Delta Electronics), Lite-On IT Corporation, Logah Technology Corp. and Salcomp Plc. Since this is the first alliance in the industry to release the wireless charging specifications that are in use by commercial products together with its significant membership is the basis for WPC's strength and its strategy for market acceptance.

The second alliance is Power Matters Alliance (PMA: www.powermatters.org) formed in March 2012 by Procter & Gamble (P&G sells Duracell brand batteries) and Powermat Technologies, located in Piscataway, NJ. Since its formation, some significant companies such as Google, Starbucks, AT&T and the US Department of Energy (US-DOE) have also joined this organization. While WPC has a strong support from the Verizon Wireless, PMA is supported by the AT&T Wireless - though AT&T Wireless is also a member of WPC. A number of public venues such as Madison Square Garden and many Starbuck cafes have already installed PMA's Powermat Technologies wireless ecosystem. On January 7th, at the beginning of CES 2013 a large group of important companies joined this alliance, making it more prominent and establishing momentum. Participants in this alliance believe that the rapid development and deployment of wireless infrastructure is the key to the market acceptance.

The third alliance is Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP: www.A4WP.org) formed in May 2012 in Fremont, CA by Qualcomm and Samsung - though Samsung is also a member of WPC. This alliance was established to overcome the limitation of Qi system that requires a close proximity between the transmitter and the receiver. A4WP alliance has developed a standard using magnetic resonance technology that enables "spatial freedom" between the transmitter and the device. The distance between the transmitter and the device being charged is increased and multiple devices can be charged on a single pad. Overall A4WP's technology is considered by many as superior and having "Spatial Freedom" is its main marketing theme. On January 2nd, A4WP released its specifications to its members. According to IHS, a prominent market watcher and forecaster, A4WP technology is expected to be more prevalent than Qi systems due to its higher power and spatial freedom characteristic. Participants in this alliance believe that their superior technology will be more beneficial to users and therefore will create wider market acceptance.

The fourth standard is developed by Intel called Wireless Charging Technology (WCT). It has partnered with Integrated Device Technology (IDT) to develop chipsets. Intel's plan is to use a laptop (Ultrabook™) as a wireless charger to power a mobile device instead of requiring a separate transmission pad. Although the product specifications have not been released, this alliance believes that the laptop infrastructure has already been established and adding a wireless charger accessory to a laptop will be easier (and may be cheaper) than creating an entirely new wireless power/charging infrastructure.

Interestingly, Apple, the largest and most visible Smartphone manufacturer has not made any public comments about any of the wireless power/charging alliances. Apple's commitment and support is expected to change the paradigm of wireless charging.

These multiple standards and wireless power/charging ecosystems are expected to create confusion among the users, but eventually the market will determine winners and losers. From the power supply perspective, the profound question is, will the wireless power/charging be a disruptive technology? Will it challenge the primacy of the wired power world? Will adapters/external power supplies for the mobile devices become extinct?

The views expressed in this article are solely of Mohan Mankikar. They do not represent the views of PSMA. Mohan Mankikar has been a part of the power supply industry for over twenty five years. An active member of the PSMA since its founding, he had been a board member of the PSMA and currently serves on the Advisory Council.