Wireless chargers have been around for some time now, although it seems like many are still opting to skip them. That’s a mistake and here’s why you should be buying a wireless phone charger along with your new iPhone or Android smartphone.
Wireless charging is an evolution. Just like everything wireless, opting for a wireless charger means saying goodbye to charging cables. This one is particularly important for phones as it also means there’s less wear and tear on the USB or Lightning port. Considering this port is now used for more than just charging a phone, less wear and tear is a very good thing. And that’s without even taking into consideration having to buy new cables every time one breaks or the cat chews it up.
More importantly, wireless chargers are a more convenient solution overall. They are simple to use, too. All you have to do is place the phone down on the surface and the charging kicks in. They are also becoming more useful in general with some wireless chargers letting you charge other wireless devices (such as the new Airpods Pro case), or in the case of the Google Pixel Stand - enable a dock mode which sort of turns the phone into a Google Assistant smart speaker or Home Hub equivalent.
The Downsides To Wireless Chargers
Like most things, wireless chargers are not the solution to every charging problem and they can create some of their own issues. Although those problems do not outweigh the benefits of wireless charing. One of the main criticisms of wireless chargers is that they charge slower than wired chargers. While the solutions are consistently getting faster each year, this is to be expected in the same way that you should expect the wireless internet signal you get at home to be slower than when directly connected via a cable. Another concern for some is the fear of health-related issues. For example, wireless chargers work by creating a magnetic field – and in some cases, emitting an EMF form of radiation. However, the field is so small and limited in reach that although the radiation can be harmful to the human body, it’s nowhere near powerful or wide reaching enough to actually do so. Generally speaking, wireless chargers are probably safer than wired chargers thanks to their being no risk of electric shock.
Another possible downside is that phones are much harder to use when being charged wirelessly than when charged via a wire. However, that might not necessarily be a bad thing. Phone overuse is becoming an issue with both iOS and Android introducing ways to help consumers better understand and limit the amount of time spent staring at a smartphone. If wireless charging forces the user to stay off the phone for a short period of time, then that could just as easily be considered a benefit. Of course, you could also just wirelessly charge the phone while doing something else. Overall, the benefits of wireless charging consistently outweigh the downsides. Yes, phones won’t charge as quickly and you can’t use them at the same time, but few people would suggest Wi-Fi is not better than wired internet. Wireless is the future, smartphone wireless charging or otherwise.
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