New Qi Wireless Charging Features Step Up Qi’s Fast Growing Ecosystem As Innovation Platform at MobileFocus Global 2013

Wireless Power Consortium will showcase new features and dimensions of the large and growing Qi ecosystem, including integrated automotive chargers, desk lamps and speakers that can be used to charge 36 Qi-enabled smartphone devices. The event takes place from 7 - 10 pm on Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, adjacent to the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I, in Barcelona.

Visitors at MobileFocus Global can meet with representatives of WPC partners and experience their products on display at the WPC exhibit, including:

• PLDS - Stefan Graf will demonstrate the first-in-market Automotive wireless charging module built into the Toyota Avalon and an aftermarket automotive.
• Leggett&Platt - Peter Hoehne will unveil a Qi 2013 automotive solution, an embedded transmitter "Puck" and a charging pad for the China market.
• ConvenientPower - Camille Tang will demonstrate the world’s first Qi 7.5 watt fast-charging system, which wirelessly charges batteries 30 percent faster than the usual 5 watt solution.
• PowerKiss - Maija Itkonen will show the wireless power transmitters integrated in furniture surfaces and hospitality environments, featuring a Qi charging Ring.
• Wuerth Elektronik - Oliver Opitz will show the newest developments of the required transmitter and receiver coils, including the thinnest Rx-coil solution in development.

"Our goal for Qi in 2013 is to make wireless charging ubiquitous and embedded into everyday places where people work, live and travel,” said Menno Treffers, chairman of the Wireless Power Consortium and senior director standardization at Philips. “Consumers will be able to charge their devices wherever they go, making drained batteries a thing of the past.”

Qi’s open, fully flexible standard is winning the battle for adoption of wireless charging in smartphones chargers and automobiles with the most convenient user experience. Consumers can now be completely connector-free by setting any Qi-certified device on any Qi-compatible charger or charging spot, regardless of brand, to instantly start wirelessly charging and keep their devices powered.

Today there is an installed base of more than 15 million Qi compatible devices in the market and the standard is backed by more than 130 industry leading companies. Some of the newest Qi developments and products include:

• 170 Qi-certified products
• 36 Qi-integrated, Qi-ready mobile devices
• Three of the major US mobile operators carry QI devices - Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T
• Numerous Qi devices available in Europe
• China saw its first Qi device 2012
• India now has Qi in the form of Nokia Lumia
• New Google/LG Nexus 4 Wireless Charging Orb
• Pentax WG-3 GPS camera supports inductive charging with Qi
• Tylt Vu Qi wireless charger launched at CES 2013
• First Audiovox automotive wireless charging cradle announced at CES 2013
• And many others.

“If you look at what’s happening with wireless charging, you will see that the marketplace is advancing at a rapid speed, and leading that rate of evolution is Qi. It is currently ahead of other wireless power solutions and is the clear industry and consumer choice for wireless charging,” Treffers added. “We’ll continue to see more devices with out-of-the-box Qi compatibility, including exciting integration in the automotive space.”

About Qi and the Wireless Power ConsortiumEstablished in December 2008, the Wireless Power Consortium’s mission is to establish Qi as the global standard for wirelessly charging electronic products. Qi is backed by more than 130 members of the WPC that include industry leaders in mobile phones, consumer electronics, batteries, semiconductors, components, wireless power technology and infrastructure such as wireless operators, furniture and automotive parts companies. These well-known companies include Energizer, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Philips Electronics, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and Verizon Wireless.

The universe of Qi-compatible devices, chargers, and automobiles include more than 170 products such as the Toyota Avalon Limited, Nokia Lumia 920, LG Google Nexus 4, HTC Droid DNA, HTC 8X, LG Spectrum 2, TDK Life on Record Wireless Charging Speaker Q35, Nokia Luna Bluetooth Headset, Panasonic DIGA Blu-Ray Disc Recorder, Oregon Scientific Time & Wireless Charging Station+, JBL PowerUp Wireless Charging Speaker, and the Nokia Wireless Charging Pillow by Fatboy.
Qi products are available in the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe. For more information, please visit www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com.