Apple's iPhone XR Price Cut Takes Wireless Charging to Mid Tier of Smartphone Market

Wireless charging pushed into the mid range of the smartphone segment in Q4, driven by Apple’s iPhone XR, said Omdia Wednesday. The increase in wireless charging-enabled shipments in the $401-$600 price segment was triggered by Apple’s price reduction on the iPhone XR, which was 7.7 million of the 12 million wireless devices in that tier, said analyst Anna Ahrens. Before Q4, more than 90% of phones with wireless charging capability were premium and high-end devices, led by Apple and Samsung phones. Wireless charging hasn't been a top priority for OEMs offering sub-$600 phones, with camera innovations, battery performance, fast-charging and connectivity upgrades taking higher precedence. The research firm said that's unlikely to change, despite Apple’s move into the segment, due to Chinese consumers’ low valuation of the feature that's seen offering low charging efficiency and requiring purchase of a wireless charger. In 2019, overall share of smartphones with wireless charging grew 2.7% to 18.5%. The prior year, annual growth was 5.6%, with the slowdown in 2019 attributed to a decline in wireless charging-enabled units in Samsung’s portfolio.