Qi (standard)
Qi (pronounced /tʃiː/ CHEE; from the Chinese word 气 qi; traditional Chinese: 氣) is an interface standard for wireless power transfer using inductive charging. The standard allows compatible devices, such as smartphones, to charge their batteries when placed on a Qi charging pad, which can be effective over distances up to 4 cm (1.6 in).
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| First published | 2008 |
| Latest version | 2.0 April 2023 |
| Organization | Wireless Power Consortium |
| Related standards | Cordless Kitchen standard Medium Power standard |
| Domain | Inductive charging |
| License | Open standard |
| Copyright | Logo and trademark |
| Website | wirelesspowerconsortium |
The Qi standard is developed by the Wireless Power Consortium. As a universal, open standard Qi-enabled devices are able to connect to Qi chargers from any manufacturer.
Qi was first released in 2008, and by 2017 was incorporated into more than 200 smartphones, tablets and other devices. As of December 2023, there are 351 manufacturers working with the standard including Apple, Asus, Google, Huawei, LG Electronics, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Sony.
In January 2023, the consortium announced Qi2, which will update the existing standard and include a magnetic connection based on Apple's MagSafe technology. On April 19, 2023, Wireless Power Consortium released the Qi2 standard.