Predictions for Wireless Power in 2016

2015 was a pivotal year for the wireless power industry. 2015 was the year that consumer awareness exploded and shipments surpassed 220 million products embedded with wireless charging.

Consumer awareness of wireless charging for consumer electronics doubled from 37% (2014) to 76% (2015) thanks in large part to product launches and marketing from Samsung, IKEA, the Apple Watch, Starbucks and others (source: IHS Market Research). Receiver shipments grew over 300% from 55 million (2014) to 166 million (2015), and 66 million transmitters shipped in 2015. 

After such a dynamic year, what is in store for 2016? Here are some of my predictions for 2016:

1. Public installations will lead to even greater awareness and convenience. IHS expects over 1 million public installations of wireless power transmitters in 2016. Being able to recharge your phone at the coffee shop, airport, hotel, mall and other public places will lead to greater customer awareness and appreciation for the convenience of not having to plug in your phone.
2. Multi-mode receivers will hit the market and become the norm for 2017. Unfortunately, there are still multiple, non-compatible standards for wireless charging technology – the Wireless Power Consortium and AirFuel Alliance. To avoid customer confusion amidst this industry standards-battle, OEMs are moving towards multi-mode solutions so that customer devices can charge on any transmitter, regardless of the standard (or “mode”).
3. 10W+ receivers for phones become the “new normal” as charge times decrease and power consumption continues to increase. It is hard to design high power receivers that are form-factor-appropriate for today’s smartphones. Heat, surface area, feature integration and thickness are all major issues. However, NuCurrent has a solution on the market and is working on integration with leading OEMs.
4. Modular solutions help enable more integration. More product companies are gaining awareness and interest in wireless charging, but some need a different solution than the large players like Samsung, Apple, Motorola and Ford. Specifically, they need wireless power modules as they aren't interested/able to create a full custom system. They would rather have a plug-and-play solution like the modules being offered by NuCurrent and some of NuCurrent’s partners. 
5. All customers are becoming more sophisticated about options. Instead of selecting components on the basis of "lowest hanging fruit", they are realizing other aspects of importance and value (integration, durability, consistency, scalability, etc). For example, automotive Tier 1's started by using litz-wire coils because they were available and have good efficiency. Now, however, Tier 1's are being pushed by OEMs to have a durable and highly-integrated solution (incl. integrated filters, sensors, shielding, etc.). This progression in sophistication will continue to develop and ultimately benefit customers through improved products and use cases.
6. Wearables need wireless power and are adopting rapidly. I won't reiterate this post I did a couple months ago.
7. Wireless power will proliferate beyond consumer electronics, especially into industrial (oil/gas, manufacturing, robotics), automotive, IoT, consumer goods, military, and toys. The consumer electronics industry drives early adoption through rapid innovation and high volumes, but other industries are starting to recognize the benefits and availability of wireless power as well. Some examples include: waterproofing industrial equipment for food processing safety, eliminating frail connectors in robotic arms, decreasing payload and vulnerability of soldier equipment, and ending the seemingly ceaseless chirp of children’s toys that are low on batteries.

Wireless power is changing the way that we interact with our electronic devices and 2015 brought the technology mainstream. 2016 will be a continuation and extension of the momentum. What do you predict for wireless power in 2016?