Broadcom announced its membership in the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP). The A4WP is an independently-operated global industrial consortium focused on developing a flexible wireless power standard to support wireless charging of consumer electronic devices.
"As our dependence on mobile devices continues to grow, the ability to charge on the go is becoming more and more critical," said Rafael Sotomayor, Broadcom vice president, Mobile Platform Solutions."We believe the standard outlined by the A4WP is an effective way forward for our industry, and we look forward to working with its members to help make wireless power a reality for consumers around the world."
According to the International Telecom Union, there are 5.9 billion mobile cellular subscribers around the world, representing a global penetration of 87 percent (source: ITU Telecom World, 2011). The International Data Corporation (IDC) also predicts that 107.4 million new media tablets will ship in 2012 (source: Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker, June 2012). With this growing demand for battery-dependent devices, the A4WP believes that mobile consumer electronics will provide a mass-market opportunity for wireless power adoption.
"Although the industry is in the very early stages of selecting a wireless power technology, it's clear that, to move forward, we must embrace a flexible wireless power standard that will support the real-world charging needs of consumers and give manufacturers more freedom to incorporate wireless charging into all of their mobile devices," said Dr. Kamil A. Grajski, president of the A4WP. "Broadcom's membership will bring more breadth and depth to the A4WP in integrating chip-based solutions into wireless technology platforms."
The technical specifications outlined by the A4WP are based on a concept of spatial freedom, which extends wireless power applications beyond the accessory or add-on market to solutions fully embedded in the device as well as in charging surfaces in furniture, vehicles and machines. The A4WP standard allows for greater flexibility regarding where devices can be charged, supports simultaneous charging of multiple devices with various power requirements and enhances freedom of industrial design in applications such as in-vehicle environments which carry strict form factor requirements.
The A4WP's members will meet in Dallas on October 30 and 31 to review the A4WP standard and strategies to get wireless power into the mass consumer electronics marketplace. The two-day program will include discussions on the technical standard, certification procedures and regulatory considerations.
