The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has announced the approval of the Qi v. 2.0 Interface Specification by its Board of Directors, launching the Qi2 standard. This significant milestone paves the way for WPC to establish a Qi2 Certification Program, allowing member companies to certify products as compatible with the new standard.
Introduced at CES 2023, where it received three Best of Show awards from popular tech media publications, the Qi2 standard aims to unify the industry under one global standard. This will offer consumers enhanced convenience and efficiency for mobile devices and wearables.
The Qi2 standard is set to replace its predecessor, Qi, in a rapidly expanding market, with approximately one billion devices – transmitters and receivers – expected to be sold worldwide in 2023. Qi2 will provide consumers with more energy-efficient and faster charging for smartphones and other portable electronic devices. The standard will also further expand the wireless charging market by opening it to new accessories that cannot be charged using current flat surface-to-flat surface devices.
WPC Executive Director, Paul Struhsaker, emphasised the growing demand for energy-efficient and sustainable products, stating, “Qi2’s perfect alignment improves energy efficiency by reducing the energy loss that can happen when the phone and the charger are not aligned. And Qi2 will reduce the landfill waste associated with wired charger replacement due to plugs breaking and the stress placed on cords from daily use.”
The WPC is currently completing the necessary steps in Quality Assurance, Certification Testing, and Product Registration to ensure that Qi2 Certified devices meet the organisation’s rigorous standards for efficiency, safety, and interoperability. Qi2 products are anticipated to appear in the market in time for the 2023 year-end holiday season.
