The confusing obsession with wireless charging

Ryan Houk
4 min readAug 10, 2023
a wireless charger
a wireless charger

Wireless charging continues to emerge as a popular “necessity” with the release of each new smartphone cycle. But is wireless charging really all that, well, wireless? I’ve always been a bit taken aback by the mildest of conveniences afforded by wireless charging while the downsides are seemingly ignored.

Energy inefficiency, adverse environmental impact, potential battery woes and even inability to use your own device are among the top downsides of wireless charging. Let’s take a closer look at how wireless charging might not be as ideal as it initially appears.

Efficiency

One of the primary concerns with wireless charging lies in its efficiency. Unlike wired charging, where power flows directly from the charger to the device, wireless charging relies on electromagnetic fields to transfer energy. Unfortunately, this method introduces energy losses during transmission, leading to decreased charging efficiency. In simpler terms, this means that wireless charging can take longer and result in less effective power delivery when compared to its wired counterpart.

usb-c, charging pad, lightning cable
usb-c, charging pad, lightning cable

Environmental Impact

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Ryan Houk
Ryan Houk

Written by Ryan Houk

Product designer of 15+ years — I write about tech & design.

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