Sometimes a new technology changes our behavior.

Has wireless power technology that potential?

Let's do a psychological experiment to find out. Take your phone, connect the power cable, and place the phone on your desk. Do you feel any hesitation to pick up the phone to make a call? What happens when the phone rings? Do you feel annoyed that you have to unplug the phone? I do. It is a subtle effect, but it influences how I charge my phone. I tend to delay charging until the battery runs low or until I know that I won't be using my phone for a while.

Connector-free charging changes that behavior. When people don't feel reluctant they will charge more often and for shorter periods. And that will improve the user experience of high-performance, power-hungry, smart-phones.

UV lamps for water purification, toothbrushes.... The most successful applications of wireless power have special requirements and relatively low volume.

These are niche applications. What is holding back the application in mass market products like mobile phones?

The answer lies in the balance between cost and the perceived value of the transmitter. Would you pay $50 for a wireless charging pad? Ok, you might. But not many people would. They are not used to pay that much extra for a cradle, or for a power adapter.

The proposition changes when we lower the cost and increase the perceived value.

The Qi logo increases the perceived value. The logo tells the consumer: this product can be used with many other products. I am not buying a charger for this one phone, but it can also use it for my remote control, and for next year's phone. This risk is much reduced: higher perceived value.

Cost must also be reduced. It must be feasible to bundle the power transmitter with a mobile device. At $50 per charger that won't happen. The standard specification makes it possible. We enable the option to create simple low-cost transmitters.

Standardization opens up the mass market, and takes wireless power technology out of its niche.