Powermat Says It's Adapting Plan for Compatibility With Apple Wireless Charging

Powermat is developing an “adaptation plan” for compatibility with Apple wireless charging technology, it said in a Monday announcement. Noting Apple’s recent membership in the Wireless Power Consortium (see 1702130033), Powermat said it would be “ready to support iPhones with whatever wireless charging protocol Apple employs,” as Apple can bring wireless charging “into the mainstream.” Regardless of which standard Apple adopts “or whether they’ll develop their own proprietary technology," Powermat believes the category is "big enough for everyone to play," said CEO Elad Dubzinski. The Powermat platform is capable of supporting multiple protocols, and its inductive wireless charging technology is installed in Starbucks stores across the U.S. and abroad, said the company. Powermat, which lists Duracell and AT&T as partners, is also installed in over a million General Motors vehicles and 250 million mobile devices, it said. Numerous reports have suggested upcoming iPhones will feature wireless charging capability. Apple didn't comment Monday. The company joined the Wireless Power Consortium, which backs inductive charging, but it's not a member of the AirFuel Alliance, which supports multiple types of wireless charging, including inductive. Powermat, meanwhile, is an AirFuel member, along with Samsung, LG, Qualcomm, Motorola, Intel, Bose, Delphi, Foxconn and many others.