Ikea releases furniture with in-built wireless charging hot spots

PHONE cables could soon be a memory after IKEA unveiled furniture with built-in charging spots, including in bedside tables, lamps and desks.

An Ikea phone. No further information provided

LOST that charger again for your mobile phone or tablet? Hate sorting heaps of cables to charge various devices? Don’t like the look of unsightly wires?

Swedish retailer IKEA might just have the answer — smart furniture with built-in charging spots, including in bedside tables, lamps and desks.

The new collection will be available in Europe and North America from next month, followed by global distribution.

Jeanette Skjelmose, manager of the lighting and wireless charging sector, said Ikea aims to make life at home simpler.

“Through research and home visits, we know that people hate cable mess. They worry about not finding the charger and running out of power,” Ikea’s business area manager of lighting and wireless charging, Jeanette Skjelmose, said.

“Our new innovative solutions, which integrate wireless charging into home furnishings, will make life at home simpler.’’

The Swedish furniture giant made the announcement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The new furniture uses the Qi wireless charging standard, found in some Windows and Android phones, including the new Samsung Galaxy S6 expected to be launched soon.

Ikea’s introduction of wireless charging functionality heats up the battle for a global wireless charging standard, of which there are currently three, all struggling to become the global leader, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Ikea’s use of Qi-certified wireless chargers from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) is supported by smartphone makers like Samsung and Microsoft.

The two other standards are the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) which is rolling out wireless charging facilities at Starbuck cafes in the US and the Alliance for wireless power, A4WP.

It’s important to have one standard because having devices that only charge on certain surfaces could limit peoples’ choice, and defeat the purpose. Gaining critical mass could be the global breakthrough for one of the three competing standards.

In the US, the PMA standard is strong, as the association is backed by Duracell Powermat, a supplier of wireless charging accessories. PMA has teamed up with Starbucks rolling out wireless charging facilities in the US. PMA last year said it will expand into Europe in 2015.

AP, AFP