Bye, Cable Mess: Ikea Reveals Furnitures That Charge Devices
If you, like many other people, live off your gadgets, you're going to understand the frustration of how it's like to live with too many wires and cables. Phone charger? Tablet charger? Laptop? It's bound to make a mess on your power outlet.
Who knew Ikea will have a solution to this dilemma and will be making an appearance at the Mobile World Congress?
A according to The Verge, the good news is that the Swedish furniture company has made a partnership with Wireless Power Consortium, and they have built together the Qi wireless device chargers into small pieces of furniture so that you can have wireless charging at any time. The line will be called "Home Smart."
How does the Qi technology work, exactly?
Embedded magnetic coils that generate electromagnetic fields are converted into technology, and smartphones and tablets that use the Qi technology can convert the said field to an energy source that can be used for charging and replenishing a device's battery.
Ikea corporate manager Jeanette Skjelemose said to Time Magazine, "Through research and home visits, we know that people hate cable mess. They worry about not finding the charger and running out of power. Our new innovative solutions, which integrate wireless charging into home furnishings, will make life at home simpler."
Business Insider notes that "Home Smart" combines the popular Qi wireless charging technology into charging pads of Ikea's furniture. This means that after assembling your Ikea furniture, you will be able to leave your Qi-supported devices on them for quick charging.
This sounds great, however, the website noted that the problem still remains with incompatible standards, and there's no guarantee that your new Ikea furniture could charge your smartphone. Some devices are able to support WPC's Qi, but not all of them do, and that's going to be something that you should consider. However, as The Verge noted, the Samsung Galaxy S6 does support both standards.
However, as noted by the BBC, Ikea will be selling charging covers for incompatible mobile phone models to ensure that anyone can make use of the Qi wireless chargers.
According to the backers of the Wireless Power Consortium, there are already over 80 Qi-compatible handsets and 15 Qi-enabled cars on the market for those interested to take advantage of the technology.
The furniture line will include desks, lamps, and bedside tables, and will be released in North America and Europe in April.
If you already have a home full of furniture, Ikea also reportedly sells add-on kits that will allow you to add wireless charging to your furniture for $33. What do you think of this technology?