The tech press agrees that Apple joined the wireless charging party a bit late, but its AirPower solution is still eagerly awaited. However, many companies are interested in launching alternative chargers, and one of them is Pi. Unlike what we can already find on shelves, Pi can charge devices placed around it, without needing special bases.
The new iPhones will have wireless charging support based on the Qi standard, and will work with almost all stations available on the market. Naturally, the Cupertino giant will offer its own charger, but we have to wait until the first quarter of 2018. The formal adoption of wireless charging by Apple will lead other companies to compete with new products, and frankly, we are not interested in seeing "more of the same". Conventional wireless charging is actually "contact charging" that limits us in distance, and doesn't allow simultaneous use either. The Pi project leaders want to change that.
At first glance, the Pi Charger looks more like a speaker, a router, a new style of lamp, or a home assistant, but all the user has to do to charge a device is place it next to it. In fact, live demos suggest the maximum distance is 30 centimeters, and it can charge up to four smartphones plus a tablet at once, regardless of angle or orientation. Basically, the charger applies beamforming technology (similar to what we see in routers), creating magnetic fields at each device's location.
If that sounds good, then... what does the fine print say? The trained eye probably noticed in the photos that all units have a special case. If the smartphone or tablet already supports wireless charging (iPhone 8 and iPhone X, for example), the case is not necessary, but traditional devices don't escape it. Initially, the plan is to launch Pi as a standalone product, however, the possibility of integrating this technology into other systems (Google Home, Amazon Echo, etc.) is not ruled out. Pi can already be reserved today, and they estimate that at its debut in 2018 it will cost less than 200 dollars.
