The bean counters at iSuppli just released a report that says revenues from devices that utilize wireless charging are set to hit $885.8 million this year, which is an increase of 616% compared to 2010 figures. If you’re having a hard time trying to think of any products on the market that actually even charge wirelessly, then you’re not alone. Palm, or HP rather, has several devices that can be charged without cables if you purchase the right accessories, and there are a countless number of companies who make batteries and cases and pads that will let you recharge the device you have today without the tangle of wires that lives under your desk.
“Given the projected growth for the space, wireless charging devices will continue to make their way into an array of products, including mobile phones, portable media players, digital still cameras and mobile PCs, although penetration at the moment remains miniscule for all sectors. Among the products, mobile phones will contribute the largest share of revenue to wireless charging—not only because of the large volume of mobile devices expected to benefit from the technology, but also because of participation by name brands in manufacturing, providing much-needed market recognition in the process.” — Tina Teng, Senior Analyst for Wireless Communications at iSuppli.
Ever since the Qi wireless charging standard hit 1.0 back in July 2010, we knew that it would explode. What we didn’t know is how long it’d take. The future we picture in our minds is an all powerful smartphone that we place on our desks and then said device connects, wirelessly, to a large display, keyboard, mouse, and of course, to a source of power. We’re at least a few years away from that happening, but when it does … oh man, the stories we’ll tell our kids about desktop computers will make them laugh until they cry.