Inductive Charging
(Wireless Charging)
A technology that allows electrical energy to be sent over a very short distance, without a wire or other direct electrical contact.
In phones, it allows a phone to charge by simply placing it on top of a special charging pad. A type of wire coil in the back of the phone aligns with a matching coil in the charging pad, forming a very short wireless link that sends power - and thus charges the battery - even though the coils themselves aren't physically touching.
"Qi" is one popular standard for inductive/wireless charging. Only with a standard such as Qi can consumers know that inductive charging will work among devices from different manufacturers.
See: Qi
Because there can be a small distance between the two coils, the charging pad can be placed slightly below a thin surface, such as a coffee shop table or car console.
Last updated Feb 7, 2017 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
