Nokia explains how wireless charging works in Lumia Windows Phones

Nokia has published an in-depth article over on its Conversations blog detailing how wireless charging works in its latest Lumia Windows Phones. Both the Lumia 820 (with compatible back plates) and Lumia 920 support wireless charging by simply resting on a compatible charging plate, Fatboy Pillow, or even a speaker such as the JBL PowerUp entertainment system.

Using Qi standards, Nokia is able to allow consumers make use of accessories to achieve impressive results. Gone will be the days of hunting through the mess of cables for the USB adapter, for then to locate a free socket and to then fiddle with the device to connect it to a mains or PC. But just how does wireless charging work?

Wireless charging, as anyone could imagine, is the method of transmitting energy through air to a receiving surface - a smartphone in this case. Instead of power travelling through the attached USB cable, consumers will be able to simply rest either the Lumia 820 or Lumia 920 on a compatible charging station, which will then activate the process. Neat, eh?

Wireless Charging Process

The above diagram illustrates what's involved, and the Nokia article explains it perfectly:

"A transmitter coil is positioned at the bottom (L1) and the receiver coil (L2) is situated at the top and these coils are embedded into different electrical devices. L1 would be the Nokia Wireless Charging Plate and L2 would be the Nokia Lumia 920, for example."

As mentioned above, Nokia makes use of the Qi standard in wireless charging. Qi was created by the Wireless Power Consortium and is reportedly used by over 100 different companies across the globe. This means compatibility with other charging means is possible with Lumia Windows Phone hardware.

Nokia has already formed partnerships with Coffee Bean, Tea Leaf, and Virgin Atlantic, that will each allow Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 owners to charge devices using table-top charging stations.

For those who find themselves at home or in the office, Nokia will be offering a number of accessories to be used with Lumia Windows Phones to achieve similar results. The Nokia charging plate, Fatboy Pillow and JBL PowerUp speakers name but a few. Nokia has stated these products will be available from all popular retailers.

Source: Nokia Conversations

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.