SMARTPHONES
Introduced in 2009, Qi (pronounced "chee") was the first wireless standard for mobile phones. As a result, the list of Qi-compatible phones include top flagship models from the major handset makers.
Samsung's flagship smartphones and phablets from the past two years natively support wireless charging. They work with both Qi and PMA wireless standards.
Until last year, Google's Nexus phones also supported the Qi standard, while the BlackBerry Classic and Passport work with either standard, depending on the model.
However, a number of smartphone makers have dropped the feature from their latest flagship models. The LG G5 and the HTC 10 both lack wireless charging.
WIRELESS CHARGERS
Most handset makers sell official wireless chargers for their smartphones. Samsung has a Qi-based Fast Wireless Charger that is said to charge faster than the original Samsung wireless charger.
In my experience, this Fast Wireless Charger lives up to its claim. It took around 2hr 23min to replenish a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge from zero to full charge. By comparison, the original Samsung wireless charger took around 3hr 40min.
Another variant, the Samsung Active Fast Wireless Charger, stands upright at an angle, which lets you see and use your phone while it is being charged, unlike the typical wireless chargers where the phone lies flat on the charging pad.
At online marketplaces such as Qoo10 and Lazada, you can find plenty of third-party wireless chargers from brands such as Anker and Choetech for under $50.
OTHER WIRELESS CHARGING ACCESSORIES
If your smartphone does not have the feature built in, you can add it with a wireless charging case, cover or even a battery pack.
For instance, Mophie recently launched the juice pack wireless ($139 for the iPhone 6S/6 and $179 for the iPhone 6S Plus/6 Plus). This battery case, which comes with a wireless charger, has a 1,560mAh battery that adds more than 50 per cent battery life to the iPhone.
The company has a similar battery pack for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.
Vincent Chang
