Wireless charging explained

Charging your phone has never been easier

Published by Adam Fraser on October 1, 2012

Nokia Lumia 920 with JBL PowerUp

Wireless charging has been around for a several years now, but it’s never really been that good. Until now, that is. The Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 (with the aid of the recharging shell) are the first Nokia smartphones to support this new feature, making charging your phone even easier than before.

All you have to do is place your phone onto a Nokia Wireless Charging Plate, Nokia Wireless Charging Pillow by Fatboy, Nokia Wireless Charging Stand, or even the JBL PowerUp Wireless Charging Speaker for Nokia to begin the charging process. It’s as simple as that.

Nokia Lumia 920 with DT-900

But what is wireless charging? It’s a rather simplistic question, but we should probably answer it just to make sure that everybody knows.

Wireless charging is a method of transmitting energy through the air to an electrical device for the purpose of charging it.

Basically, in relation to smartphones, this means that your phone will be charged without having to plug the wire into your phone.

While this all sounds very simple as far as us consumers are concerned, it’s actually a very technical process.

The diagram below shows the basic principles of inductive power transmission.

Basic principle

A transmitter coil is positioned at the bottom (L1) and the receiver coil (L2) is situated at the top and these coils are embedded into different electrical devices. L1 would be the Nokia Wireless Charging Plate and L2 would be the Nokia Lumia 920, for example.

An alternating current in the transmitter coil generates a magnetic field, which induces a voltage in the receiver coil. This voltage is then used to charge up the device.

Nokia has adopted the Qi (pronounced chi) standard in their wireless charging devices. Qi was created by the Wireless Power Consortium and is used by over 100 different companies around the world, and is the only globally adopted interface. Plus, because it’s used globally, you’ll be able to charge up wirelessly in different places around the world.

Nokia Lumia 820 with DT-910

Nokia already has partnerships with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Virgin Atlantic that will allow users of Nokia’s upcoming Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 to charge up using table-top wireless charging stations.

When you’re at home (or at work), though, there are several wireless charging devices that we’ve already mentioned above. These all provide the same function of charging your phone wirelessly, but they are designed for people with different needs.

The Nokia Wireless Charging Plate is designed to be the standard, but attractive, charging option, while the Nokia Wireless Charging Pillow by Fatboy is designed for people who like to stand out from the crowd while wanting something a little quirkier. The Nokia Wireless Charging Stand is great for people that want to charge their phone and still use their phone to video calls, or to run certain apps for example. Then there’s the JBL PowerUp Wireless Charging Speaker for Nokia that stops your phone from running empty when listening to your favourite tunes.

Nokia Lumia 820 with DT-901

Whatever wireless charging device suits you, you only need to place your phone on the device in order to charge it.

Nokia has worked hard to make wireless charging easier to use than other manufacturers of wireless charging devices. Nokia has increased the active charging area to over 80 per cent on the wireless charging plate, meaning you should just be able to put the phone down to charge and not worry about it being ‘spot on’.

All of the wireless charging gadgets will be available at the time of launch of the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 from either the retailer you buy the phone from, or from all good online retailers.

Comments

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003530045713 Vinci Agapito

    That’s what you call “INNOVATION”.

    • http://SocialSteak.com/ Stephen Robinson

      No, not really. I like what Nokia is doing, it’s great but phones have done this before. It isn’t innovation.

      • LarryE1946

        Which phones have done this before?

        • http://SocialSteak.com/ Stephen Robinson

          2009 – Palm Pre.

          Not even that was the first, but that’s likely the most known (before these).

          I like the way I get down votes for telling the truth. I love Nokia, but if you guys think this is something new you haven’t done much research. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m SUPER happy they are doing this, they will make it mainstream.

          • LarryE1946

            Thanks for that info. Was never a Palm watcher which is why I was unaware of their wireless charging. I’m interested to see what those JBL speakers sound like.

          • Ronalds Skrastiņš

            Buy bluethoot adapter, fat boy pilow and use good speekers. You make your wireles speeker sistem, whu is alot beter.

          • LarryE1946

            I already have the Bose Sound Dock 10, but I like the wireless concept of the JBL speakers.

          • http://thisbeast.com/ netster

            Never knew that. Thanks for the info.

          • cody bratcher

            You tell em…LOL…2006, Powermat was the First to Have Inductive Charging for Cell phones thru a sleeve or back cover.

        • Navneet Kumar

          Blackberry was the first player in wireless charging.

          • cody bratcher

            Actually that is a Different charging method. Yeah you didn’t have to plug it in, but it wasn’t wireless charging as in no contacts and power being sent Thru case etc.
            Blackberry was Metal contacts, when you set phone in charge cradle etc contacts had to touch charger contacts.

            I had this on my Motorola phone which was the very first Flip phones out…1995 I’m thinking….

        • cody bratcher

          This has been in the Galaxy Phones since they were released. Palm had this on their first Pre.
          But Samsung sells more Phones to get this out to consumers more then any manufacture

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003530045713 Vinci Agapito

        Actually, it is INNOVATION.
        They’re going to improve Wireless charging soon and soon.
        This will lead us to a new way of technology.

        • http://SocialSteak.com/ Stephen Robinson

          They haven’t done that yet.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003530045713 Vinci Agapito

            “Soon and Soon.”

      • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

        While wireless charging isn’t new, as the very first line in this article points out, it is the first time Nokia has used it in a phone. That means that the technology is going to be improved upon.

        Nokia has already improved the charging area to 80 per cent with the Nokia Charging Plate.

        Onwards and upwards!

        • http://SocialSteak.com/ Stephen Robinson

          Of course, it’s a great move!

        • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

          Awesome Nokia. Thanks for bringing this to the Windows Phone OS. I hope that one day, we will see this technology being used for a lot of gadgets, like flashlights and such.

        • cody bratcher

          Yeah and it has to have more then one coil, around 7 coils, in the charger. While the others guys will do it with one and you will be able to get a charge even while phone is in your pocket or purse, no having to go to the charger.

      • http://www.facebook.com/ahhhrickEEEE Ricky Ortiz

        Nokia has been leading the competition for YEARS… They innovated the camera phones.. if havent seen, a few years back they released the Nokia N8 it had a 12mp camera sensor. no phone to date has topped it. Not the iPhone 5 or the latest Android Device… Only Company to top it is Nokia itself with thier Nokia 808 Pureview, which carries a whopping 41mp Camera Sensor… only thing that holds nokia back is their os Symbian.. thats why they switched to WP os

  • tN0

    Does the wireless charging cover for the 820 add some thickness? Thx.

    • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

      I can’t be certain, but if it is, it will only be by a small amount. We wrote an article about the Lumia 820 shells a couple of weeks ago: http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/09/17/nokia-lumia-820-comes-out-of-its-shell/

    • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

      Hi @tN0:disqus, I’ve been digging for information and can let you know that the Lumia 820 wireless charging shell is thicker, but less that 1mm thicker than the basic design shells.

  • http://www.martinspierings.nl Martin Spierings

    Still a big question: how long does it take to charge the battery from zero to 100%?

    • 111san

      for a full charge from empty to 100% wireless charging takes about 4.5 hours while normal plug in charging takes 4 hours according to some hands on testing with the 920 or 820 I forget.

    • 111san

      for a full charge from empty to 100% wireless charging takes about 4.5 hours while normal plug in charging takes 4 hours according to some hands on testing with the 920 or 820 I forget.

      • Ronalds Skrastiņš

        not 4 but 3. Anyway wireless only half hour longer.

    • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

      Hi @Martinspire:disqus, the Lumia 820 takes about 3h 20min, while the Lumia 920 takes about 3h 50min to charge from empty to full with wireless chargers.

      • http://www.facebook.com/shoummo.talukder Shoummo Talukder

        my sony xperia p can be full charged within 30 mins, as it supports boost charging. Try to reduce the charging time in the next gen. lumia phones. thnx. :)

        • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

          Two or three hours is the norm for most phones. I am happy it works the way it does in current specs.

  • Douglas

    Nokia, does it work with a case on the phone? Any case?

    • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

      You’ll be delighted to know that the phones will charge even if they are in a carry case.

    • cody bratcher

      Not any case, Too thick and it will not charge or magnets won’t be able to hold. The magnetic field can not be blocked by metal or Thick materials…

  • Breakingillusions

    you are doing it the right way Nokia

  • http://www.gadgeterija.net/ Denis Jelec

    Just pricing on those accessories…it will be a deciding factor for me.

    • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

      I hear you.

  • http://twitter.com/Da_PHAT_Ninja Michael Lococo

    I’d like to know if the phone can be charged in portrait mode so that you can watch video while it is charging.

    • ross

      yes it can..you might have to choose the wireless cahrging stand though…which is just like the nokia pad, with a bas so its upright

  • http://twitter.com/ScottWhitmore85 Scott Whitmore

    Auto-correct fail ;)
    “…which includes a voltage in the receiver coil”

    includes = induces

    • http://conversations.nokia.com Ian Delaney

      Good spot. Fixed. Darn that auto-correct.

  • http://mobilecrazies.com/ Anirudh Sharma

    @Adam This is truly Magical…. but is wireless charging energy efficient Vs wired charging? Does it comply with the go green part of Nokia? Can you give us a detailed reference for the same?

    • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

      There are a couple of Androids that have been using wireless charging. If someone has or had a wireless charging Android, maybe they can answer this question. Frankly, I like the idea and looking forward to using it.

    • cody bratcher

      if you want to compare at just one charging, then wall charger is more less power loss, but long term wireless is superior. wall chargers are usually left plugged in, and power still used after full battery. wirelss shuts down.

  • Erkki Ruohtula

    One useful wireless charging widget that I would like to see would be a windscreen mount for the Lumia (for navigator use) that would also contain a charging coil. That would make it quick and easy to slot the phone into the mount while still ensuring it gets juice for the power-intensive navigator task.

  • ancostel

    So instead of plugging in the phone you plug in the charging pad… What’s the difference? Instead of carrying the charger around you carry that pad…

    • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

      Imagine you come home, you sit down from a long drive or ride on the train, instead of fumbling for the wire to charge your near dead phone, you simply lay it on the charging pad. If you have the ability, you will have one at work and at home, so you do not have to carry it around with you. Or, you leave your plugin charger at work that comes with the phone and have your wireless charger at home.

      I am thinking about buying four of them. One for my desk at home, side table next to my sofa, nightstand, and one for work. The pillow one is sweet, I’ll probably get that one for work just to show off and one for the night stand.

  • http://www.facebook.com/goldiedust2012 Goldie Dust

    I love way it works like magic!! Welcome to the future

  • Nikolaos Tzovolos

    Can this work on any Nokia phone, ie The Pureview 808. Or it’s strictly Nokia Windows Phones?

    • http://twitter.com/tWiZsHiZ sHiZ.us

      Qi batteries are available for some phones, including iPhone by taking it to an certified tech to open the phone and install the right battery. I am not sure about Pureview 808. Imagine that in the future, every phone and tablet will include this feature out of the box.

      • cody bratcher

        Battery does not give a phone the Ability to charge Inductively. It is built into the phone. Options are to Mod the wires to battery contacts at battery, or get cases that fit on phone and it does it by having usb port inside case that plugs into phone as you put case on and then Inductive Coil is in Case. NO battery can give you wireless charging!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/anssi.tervonen Anssi Tervonen

    How does wireless charging affect the battery life? I mean when a person is using wireless charging the device is probably charged more often and in smaller increments. Does the battery life suffer because of this?

    • cody bratcher

      Wireless charging using less energy in the long run because most leave their wall charger plugged in, wireless doesn’t overcharge, stops when full and shuts down, no wear/damage to ports, eventually batteries won’t be needed and less sent to Landfills…
      batteries no longer have the memory effect and charges at lowers amps…..

  • http://twitter.com/ShitBrianSez Patriotic S.O.B.

    My toothbrush base is 5+ years old, and it has wireless charging.

    I love the idea of wireless charging! With micro-usb being adopted as the de facto standard on mobile devices, wireless charging is a much better idea. Micro-usb is just to flimsy and fragile for daily plugging & un-pugging of devices.
    More manufacrurers should adopt wireless charging.

  • cody bratcher

    Story’s Statment( and is used by over 100 different companies around the world, and is the only globally adopted interface)…This is FAR from the Truth.

    1. PMA is Powermat’s Group which are working with Samsung/Qualcomm’s wireless power group (A4WP) which has the Biggest Manufactures of Phones to use this and manufactures of this component.

    2.T-Mobile, Broadcomm etc

    3. AT&T, StarBuck’s, Google, Delta Airlines, Madison Square Garden, General Motors, Barclay’s, WestField Malls, etc etc…

    4. They are they only Wireless that already have Public use available and being used.

    5. The Vice President of Google is Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors.

    Founding Chair of IEEE..

    Jeff Howard, Vice President, Mobile Device Portfolio, AT&T Mobility
    Energy Star….The FCC…and many more..
    So with that kind of Backing, esp from the Companies that Count, I wouldn’t the other’s Qi the Only Global Interface esp when they haven’t got any public use available. except in Japan.

    So the companies that will sell these are here, companies that will give consumers easy use, is here, and the Companies that make the components to install and the companies that will install these into their devices are all here, not at Qi Standards.
    Plus these guys will/have taken this to a level that will be hard for most to believe.

    Not Professional when a Report is posted without a inch of research or Real Knowledge…

  • xyes

    The last statement is nothing near reality in M’sia… though Nokia typically will answer say, “we’ven’t even ‘officially’ launched it yet… duh”, I thought we’ll get a Fatboy WC pillow by pre-order too… duh! none happened.

  • http://aaqil.co.uk/ Aaqil Mahmood

    i recently moved from iphone 4s to lumia 820
    and i believe iphone have best charging in the world. My iphone was charging up to 90% in 45 minutes only. While Lumia takes three or four hours :(

  • thumar rushik

    hi

    Please give me information of the mobile charging, when charging is completed, automatic charging is off???????????????