Why is wireless charging considered a selling point?

The iGentleman said:

Totally disagree. There is nothing "gimmicky" about it. It is a luxury, not a necessity. That said, it is QUITE convenient, and I much rather use wireless charging than the traditional corded method. It is much easier for me to reach over and grab my phone when I wake up out of my sleep, and not have to worry about a cord reaching, or wrapping around something, etc. When I wake up in the middle of the night and roll over to check my phone, it's much easier to just pick it up, do what I need to do, and sit it back down and it start back charging. It is much easier for me to sit the phone down on my end table as I walk in the living room after coming home, and walk past and pick it up (without having to fumble with any wires). Is that necessary? No. Do I absolutely have to have it? No. Does it add to the experience of owning this phone? Absolutely. Is it very convenient? You bet it is.

Click to expand...

I agree with all this. My experience using a wireless charger mirrors this to the tee.

Conversely, when I have to use my iPhone 5C from the bed, I have to make sure not to tug too far, or if I take it off the Lightning cable, I have to find the cable to put it back in when I'm done. With my Nexus 5 and the wireless charging, I don't have to worry about any of these things. That is the definition of convenience.

I must say that when I got the N5 wireless charging was the last thing I cared about. But using it is just so convenient. Get in from work, put my phone on the table, and oh its charging. Its a tiny change but you really notice it. The only issue is that you can't use it when its charging really, but its so easy to have a little top-up charge that its not really a problem. Overall I'd say a much better feature than I thought and I'd miss it if I went back to iPhones.

smwatson said:

I must say that when I got the N5 wireless charging was the last thing I cared about. But using it is just so convenient. Get in from work, put my phone on the table, and oh its charging. Its a tiny change but you really notice it. The only issue is that you can't use it when its charging really, but its so easy to have a little top-up charge that its not really a problem. Overall I'd say a much better feature than I thought and I'd miss it if I went back to iPhones.

Click to expand...

I think alot of people underestimate how convenient it is including me before i got my Nexus 4.

I personally don't think I'd use a phone w/o a replaceable battery unless it had wireless charging. I find it really convenient and useful.

Qi charging works just GREAT on my Nexus7.2013. The convenience just can't be beat.

Using a Nexus 5 and 7 for a while now and love the wireless charging feature. Dont have to look for the cable on the floor/under my desk each time to plug it in. Just set the phone down and its charging. Have wireless chargers at home and work so whenever I leave either place, my phone is at 100%.

Also using AirDroid so never have to bother with cables at all.

jeffe said:

I personally don't think I'd use a phone w/o a replaceable battery unless it had wireless charging. I find it really convenient and useful.

Click to expand...

I may have missed it, but why would this even matter? You still can't service the battery and it's still going through the charging cycles.

Ive yet to get a wireless charger. Using the plug in charger, my Nexus 5 is charged up within 1 -1.5 hours. Its pretty fast.

If you're wondering why wireless charging is considered a selling point, then how come design (or something else that is merely superficial) is considered a selling point? They need to make a product more attractive and wireless charging

Though you keep the pad plugged in, you can simply place the phone on the charging pad and go. You don't have to find a charger, if you misplaced it, and you don't have to plug it in to the phone and the wall. Plus, when it's done, you can just take it and go, and you don't need to pull any plugs. Good if you're in a rush.

If Apple can use a reversible charger as a selling point (And not just a cynical ploy to sell everyone overpriced cables), then everyone else can use wireless charging as one.

It would save me literally seconds. Until wireless charging becomes commonplace, it's a gimmick.

jaymzuk said:

If Apple can use a reversible charger as a selling point (And not just a cynical ploy to sell everyone overpriced cables), then everyone else can use wireless charging as one.

It would save me literally seconds. Until wireless charging becomes commonplace, it's a gimmick.

Click to expand...

For YOU it might be a gimmick but for many others who use it's multiple times daily it's a never nice feature.

IFRIT said:

For YOU it might be a gimmick but for many others who use it's multiple times daily it's a never nice feature.

Click to expand...

You mean newer? Anyway, the main point of reversible chargers as well as wireless charging is convenience.

It is one of those "you don't see the benefits until you use it."

jaymzuk said:

If Apple can use a reversible charger as a selling point (And not just a cynical ploy to sell everyone overpriced cables), then everyone else can use wireless charging as one.

It would save me literally seconds. Until wireless charging becomes commonplace, it's a gimmick.

Click to expand...

By this reasoning, TouchID is a gimmick. iBeacon is a gimmick. Reversible charger cable is a gimmick. Because none of these things are common place?

Personally, I don't think any of them are a gimmick, just like I don't believe wireless charging is a gimmick. They all serve a purpose to make our lives easier, better or more convenient (however you want to phrase it.)

BTW, I can't tell you how many times I have accidentally pulled my iPad off my night stand with the cable still attached! I wish Apple would have not only made the connector reversible, but also magnetic, like the MacBook Pro. That would take the scare out of that scenario.

----------

boast said:

It is one of those "you don't see the benefits until you use it."

Click to expand...

So very, very true. There are some who still don't like it, but the vast majority love the convenience of wireless charging. Probably why, so many aftermarket makers of wireless chargers for the iphone were on display at CES (and even Starbucks trying to get into the wireless charging game for iPhones.)

My next smartphone must have wireless charging if the battery is not user replaceable. It is a selling point to me. The less I have to connect the smartphone to a cable the better (other than when I want to transfer a bunch of files over since WiFi and BT can be slow as heck).

Matts = lazy "innovation".

ZONES however, well thats certainly a breakthrough:
Apple:


Samsung:


Think about it, you sit down in front of your computer to work and your phone is just charging on its own. No matts, no special cases. Your devices just charge when near your other devices. Take it to the iMac, you never need batteries for your keyboard and mouse as they are just charging by being near your computer.

We are much closer to a wireless future than most people realize.

NT1440 said:

Matts = lazy "innovation".

ZONES however, well thats certainly a breakthrough:
Apple:

Samsung:

Think about it, you sit down in front of your computer to work and your phone is just charging on its own. No matts, no special cases. Your devices just charge when near your other devices. Take it to the iMac, you never need batteries for your keyboard and mouse as they are just charging by being near your computer.

We are much closer to a wireless future than most people realize.

Click to expand...

Speaking of which. My iMac's magic mouse has had wireless charging for years. When you buy the charging matt from Apple, it changes out the bottom battery pack for a wireless receiver and rechargable battery pack. I've had been since around 2010. Looks identical in every way, but so much more convenient to be able to just set my mouse on its little charging matt and know I always have a fully charged wireless mouse.
It would be very cool if Apple can make wireless charging zones, so the keyboard, mouse and whatever else simply always has a wireless trickle charge occuring. But maintain a way to plug it in to charge, just in case.

trewyn15 said:

I may have missed it, but why would this even matter? You still can't service the battery and it's still going through the charging cycles.

Click to expand...

With a removable battery I never have to charge my phone. I can have an extra battery and that allows me to always swap a depleted battery with a full battery and I just charge the batteries separately. You really never have to worry about battery life.

With wireless charging my phones battery gets charged more often than it would otherwise to where I still don't really need to worry about battery life.

Take both these options away and I'd probably run out of battery on some days and would also have to make sure I plug my phone in every night.

I just prefer not having to think or worry about how much battery life I have left.

jeffe said:

With a removable battery I never have to charge my phone. I can have an extra battery and that allows me to always swap a depleted battery with a full battery and I just charge the batteries separately. You really never have to worry about battery life.

With wireless charging my phones battery gets charged more often than it would otherwise to where I still don't really need to worry about battery life.

Take both these options away and I'd probably run out of battery on some days and would also have to make sure I plug my phone in every night.

I just prefer not having to think or worry about how much battery life I have left.

Click to expand...

Gotcha haha thanks for explaining!

The iGentleman said:

Totally disagree. There is nothing "gimmicky" about it. It is a luxury, not a necessity. That said, it is QUITE convenient, and I much rather use wireless charging than the traditional corded method. It is much easier for me to reach over and grab my phone when I wake up out of my sleep, and not have to worry about a cord reaching, or wrapping around something, etc. When I wake up in the middle of the night and roll over to check my phone, it's much easier to just pick it up, do what I need to do, and sit it back down and it start back charging. It is much easier for me to sit the phone down on my end table as I walk in the living room after coming home, and walk past and pick it up (without having to fumble with any wires). Is that necessary? No. Do I absolutely have to have it? No. Does it add to the experience of owning this phone? Absolutely. Is it very convenient? You bet it is.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I'd love to have it so I don't have to fumble around with a micro-USB and figure out if I have the correct side up.

I'm really enjoying wireless charging.

It's definitely a "luxury" but especially at work, it's so much more convenient for me.

Especially if someone rings, I don't have to do the whole unplug-wire-fumble-whilst-taking-private-call fiasco.