Qi2: Wireless now invite you to 25 watts

The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) further drills the Qi2 standard for wireless charging. With the new version 2.2.1, Qi2 now creates up to 25 watts, the WPC announced on Wednesday. So far you could load up to 15 watts via Qi2. The new version is referred to as “Qi2 25W”.

The WPC thus raises its standard to the level of Apple’s Magsafe technology, which formed the basis for Qi2. In addition to Apple’s iPhone, Android smartphones are now to support the standard. The first devices have already been certified, hundreds of others are still being tested, according to the WPC. The first devices are likely to come onto the market in the coming months.

Qi2 is the further development of the Qi standard originally introduced in 2010, which was initially able to load up to 5 watts in 2010, then also process 15 watts. Qi2 was also initially designed up to 15 watts, in the new version there are now 25 watts.

“Fast and efficient”

It was already foreseeable when the market launch of Qi2 that the technology is suitable for even faster and more efficient wireless charging, said Paul Struhsaker, Executive Director of the WPC. “The remarkably fast and efficient wireless charging of Qi2 25W will promote the spread of wireless charging and accelerate the acceptance of the new standard.”

It took a while for the Qi technology to prevail. The smartphone Palm Pre present, presented in 2009, could already be loaded wirelessly. However, the standard only learned greater distribution in 2012 with Google’s Nexus 4 and Nokias Lumia 920. In the meantime, over one and a half billion Qi2-certified devices are on the market worldwide, according to the WPC.

Also in the kitchen

The Wireless Power Consortium was founded in 2008. In addition to Apple, the consortium includes over 300 international companies, including the German members Bosch, Infineon and Mercedes Benz. In January, the WPC on the CES in Las Vegas presented its “KI” standard for the power supply of kitchen appliances.