It has been announced that Samsung's Galaxy S4, the next big thing in high-end smartphones, will support Qi wireless charging, Techradar reports.
Consumers wishing to have wireless charging will have to buy a back battery cover and wireless charging pads, as they do not come with the phone itself. A price point has yet to released, same with a release date for the wireless charging pack. It is also important to note that the iPhone 5, the main rival to the upcoming Galaxy S4, does not support wireless charging.
The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has praised Samsung for bringing this option to the Galaxy S4, stating that it helps bring the phone into the future, and helps propogate the QI standard.
"Qi cuts the last remaining cord in consumer electronics - the charging cord...The Galaxy S4 is the latest addition to the rapidly expanding Qi ecosystem of mobile devices, charging accessories, charging locations, and consumer electronics with an installed base of more than 15 million units. Any Qi-certified device wirelessly charges using any Qi-compatible charger, regardless of brand..." WPC stated.
Samsung has yet to release official release dates for the Galaxy S4, though the company expects the phone to be available in April/May. Samsung has also listed a wide range of carriers for the phone.
This announcement could signal a further shift towards Samsung, as the company tries to gain some traction in their competition with Apple in the smartphone market. Having wireless charging technology when Apple does not could shift some people towards the Galaxy S4. Along with such features as gesture and facial recognition and the latest version of Android, the Galaxy S4 is building a serious amount of hype before its release.