Apple just announced that the next iPhones — the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X — will both support Qi wireless charging. And lo! did the floodgates open to a swathe of third-party wireless charging pads.
Apple has its own wireless charging pad on the way (pictured right) called AirPower, but that won’t be around ’til next year. It does promise independent simultaneous charging for your iPhone, your Apple Watch Series 3 and AirPods, though, which might be a feature restricted to it alone.
First out the gates and into my inbox? Belkin. You go, Belkin. The $99.95 Belkin Boost↑Up (pictured up top) is a Qi wireless charger that also supports the newer 7.5 Watt faster wireless charging standard, although it isn’t immediately clear whether the iPhone itself will support this too. The Boost↑Up goes on sale on September 15.
Second out of the gates? Mophie. The Mophie Wireless Base also supports the Qi standard and will charge the iPhone 8 and iPhone X wirelessly, and again supports the 7.5 Watt standard. It’s $US59.95 just like the Belkin, so you can expect a circa-$100 price tag when it lands on Australian shelves.
It’s also worth remembering that Ikea’s range of wireless chargers support the Qi standard, albeit at the slower original 5 Watt rate. And you can build them into furniture and stuff.