Wireless smartphone charging will quickly become commonplace after Apple embraced the technology with the release of the iPhone 8 on Friday.
That is the view of Chargifi CEO and co-founder Dan Bladen.
The queues outside Apple stores were small compared with the usual hysteria which accompanies the release of a new iPhone.
Many commentators attribute that to the planned release of the iPhone X, the firm’s new flagship model, on 3rd November. The X – referred to as the ‘ten’ by Apple – will feature facial recognition technology among other features.
Chargifi spoke with people queuing at the Covent Garden Apple store about their views on cutting the cord on wires still further following the adoption of AirPod headphones on the iPhone 7.
A huge 58 per cent of those surveyed said they typically run out of battery before 5pm, while 56 per cent said they seek a charging facility outside their homes as a result; 65 per cent charge their phones at work.
“The future is wireless,” said Bladen. “The power cable is the last cable to be cut: people are looking for convenient and effortless power to enable them to carry on living their lives via their phones.
“Expect to quickly see wireless charging becoming as widely adopted as Wi-Fi in public places over the coming months and years.”
Twenty-nine per cent of people surveyed said wireless charging is now an “essential” phone feature.
Several of Apple’s Android-based smartphone rivals, including LG and Samsung, have incorporated wireless charging into products for some time.
Chargifi’s cloud management platform enables the mass deployment of wireless charging (see images of practical use above). Its tech is used in venues such as the Grand Hyatt New York and Imperial College London, as well as several tech giants.