In a nutshell: We're told that the future of charging will be truly wireless, and if Motorola's technology is to be believed, that future might be closer than we think. In a behind-the-scenes demo, the company showed off its new Space Charging system, which consists of a desktop charging station that can remotely send power up to four devices simultaneously.
Truly wireless charging or charging at a distance is a novel idea in theory but quite impractical from an engineering perspective. We saw Xiaomi make bold claims with its upcoming Mi Air Charge technology earlier this year, and now Motorola has come forward with a remote charging system of its own.
Images of Motorola's prototype transmitter initially surfaced on Weibo (Chinese), alongside a video demonstration by Motorola showing the remote charging station power up to four smartphones from a three-meter distance.
Gimmick or a true over-the-air charging solution?
The charging station is said to pack 1,600 antennas, which are used to emit mmWave impulses for delivering up to 5W of power. That's quite slow compared to wireless solutions on the market, though Motorola says the 'Space Charging' station has a wide 100° coverage, works through paper and leather, and features built-in AI to pause remote charging if a human is detected in its range of exposure.
It'll certainly be a lot more convenient to charge devices once, and if, companies like Motorola and Xiaomi can deliver a breakthrough advancement to make this tech viable and safe to use. As for now, details around Motorola's pricing and release timeframe for the 'Space Charging' accessory remain unknown.