What is Qi wireless charging?

Frequently charging a phone is an inconvenience that is impossible to escape from. Solutions like putting in a bigger battery or bundling super-fast chargers go some way in making our lives easier, but nothing beats the simplicity of wireless charging. Placing a device on a ‘pad’ and seeing it charge feels like magic. When researching about wireless chargers, you’ll have come across the term ‘Qi charging’, which sounds something out of a Japanese anime. So what is Qi wireless charging, and why is it important? Read on.

What is Qi wireless charging?
QI is pronounced as “Chee”. It is basically a standard for wireless energy transmission. It is a format developed and maintained by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), which aims to standardise wireless charging similar to how USB and Bluetooth have standardised data transmissions. For any technology to be mass adopted, it is pertinent that it has some standards or benchmarks which can be the same for all. It can help in rapid development by manufacturers.

Why is Qi important?
Wireless technology is fairly in its nascent stages. It is not widely accepted by the masses yet. But there are plenty of reasons why Qi is a good thing.

1. Standardisation: Qi brings much-needed standardisation into an emerging technology field. Various manufacturers can work on a standard that is accepted by the entire industry and can resolve a variety of issues.

2. Prohibits overloading: It sets limits for the voltage to be used safely so that the charging remains safe, effective, and within limits so that it doesn’t damage your devices.

3. Reduce overheating: Heating is one of the most common issues with inductive charging. And if not controlled properly, it can be catastrophic for your device. The Qi charging standards make sure that this doesn’t happen to your device.

4. Heat transfer to nearby objects: The Qi standard also makes sure that your charger doesn’t push magnetic energy that isn’t your phone. This makes it safe to be used in your home setup without worrying.

Above all, Qi standards make sure that wireless charging remain safe, effective, and compatible with as many devices as possible. It gives much-needed direction and standards to the various manufacturers to work towards.