A4WP, Power Matters Alliance Sign Merger Pact, Will Announce New Name Later

Wireless charging standards organizations The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and Power Matters Alliance (PMA), announced the signing of a merger agreement Monday that establishes “a core charging standard supporting a wide range of consumer, medical, military and industrial applications,” the groups said. A new name for the combined organization will be announced later this year, with “key leaders and contributors within all working groups including technical, testing and certification, regulatory and marketing” retained in the merger, they said. The merger letter of intent was announced at CES 2015 (see 1501060013), and the integration process is underway, they said. A4WP President Kamil Grajski will be chairman of the new group, and PMA President Ron Resnick will be president. As a result of the merger, consumers can expect “to gain access to an exciting and enhanced wireless battery charging and power management experience sooner across the full spectrum of devices in daily use,” said the organizations. They expect that with less competition among wireless charging formats, the merger will allow mobile network operators and commercial and retail brands to “commit to the necessary investment confident of stable, long-term evolution and management of innovative wireless charging technologies.” Product applications, they said, include Bluetooth headsets, wearables, smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs. "The combination of equal partners in support of a vision for wireless power with an initial focus on consumer applications is on schedule and provides a clear path for industry to shift to volume economics," said Grajski. Resnick said the groups have a “world-class certification program to support members' innovative solutions." Many of the new group’s 170 members also belong to the Wireless Power Consortium, which promotes the Qi wireless charging standard.