OnePlus joins WPC; wireless charging expected on future devices

OnePlus is now officially a member of the Wireless Power Consortium, the promoter group of various wireless charging standards. It pretty much implies that future OnePlus devices could also support wireless charging.

OnePlus has long been skipping wireless charging on its flagships, stating speed and convenience to not be at acceptable levels. It has been one of the few notable omissions on its seemingly complete flagship smartphones each year, especially since it moved to glass backs from metal a few years ago. It seems like that is about to change.

The WPC is one of the biggest standards development groups with over 500 member companies from around the world, working towards worldwide compatibility of all wireless chargers and wireless power sources. The applications primarily include three interface standards —  Qi, Cordless Kitchen, and Medium Power. 

Qi wireless charging (pronounced as chee), as you may recognize, is the most popular standard for inductive charging on smartphones. It uses a charging pad that can charge compatible devices when placed on it. The group already has smartphone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Google, Xiaomi, etc. as members. Being a full member is a requisite to be able to use any of the charging standards mentioned above.

With OnePlus now joining the fray, it is almost sure that future devices from the Chinese company will also support wireless charging. It remains to be seen if the upcoming OnePlus 8 family will be Qi-enabled, or if we will have to wait for a little longer. OnePlus seems to have joined the Wireless Power Consortium only recently, which could suggest that it may be a little late for the upcoming smartphones. Perhaps we will see its debut on an accessory.

• OnePlus 8 Pro looks likely to get wireless charging