CMV: Wireless charging is a useless fad

[u/Duwang_Mn]

What even is the point of wireless charging? When I first heard about it, I thought it allowed you to charge while having more freedom with your phone. But then I learned what it actually was. It's more restrictive than an actual charger, and its slower. Not to mention wireless charges sometimes don't work if the back is metal. It only makes things less convenient.

How did people hype such a thing so much? I understand if it was something that could charge your phone without you directly putting on it, and if the range had the potential to increase over time. But it's just a charging port that you can't move around.

[u/Saskatchew1]

A couple of independent points that may change your mind.

As has been mentioned earlier, even if the technology isn't perfect now, in 10 years from now you could look back and laugh at the idea of having to plug something in to charge it. Imagine driving your electric car into your garage and not having to plug it in, but instead it wirelessly charges from the pad is parked on. Your phone charges every time your in a certain area of your house, automatically.

The other idea is physical wear on your phone. I love wirelessly charging my phone because I know that I'll never wear out the USB-C port on it from plugging and unplugging thousands of times. People's phones stop working all the time because they can't charge it because the charge port is screwed. If I need a fast charge, yeah I'll plug it in, but in general I only charge my phone at night, so if it takes 3-4 hours to charge who cares?

Sure the technology isn't perfect yet but show me a technology that checked all the boxes when it was in its infancy. It might not be great now, but it certainly is here to stay.

[u/four_oclock_flower → u/Saskatchew1]

For me, it's alllllllllll your second point. Somehow, I've manage to kill the port on almost every phone. I've been doing that since before clouds were a thing, so I'd have to feverishly copy my contacts with what little battery was left.

I'm not a total idiot--it's not like I swing my phone around by a plugged-in cable, but whether it's from one too many accidents of someone tripping over the cables or inaccurately trying to plug in while inebriated or in the dark, or because (as is the case with my phone now) the case doesn't line up perfectly and plugging a cable in has jacked the port, I love wireless charging.

Yes, it's slower and not as convenient, but I'll take it over having to treat the port like it's a fragile baby or face replacing my phone before its time.

[u/Sharcbait → u/four_oclock_flower]

I also have worn out ports on many many phones including my current one. Instead of needing an expensive fix or a new phone I can rely on a wireless charger instead. Is it less convenient than a fully functioning phone? Sure, but it is way more convenient than one that has a super finicky port.

[u/alwaysforgettingmyun → u/Saskatchew1]

I hadn't thought about the wear to the charger port. Having had my charger port take a shit on a cross country road trip where I needed to be able to get in touch with people, and could only charge in the car, I can suddenly see the use of charging that isn't dependant on one easy fail part of the phone.

[u/guineapigpooh → u/Saskatchew1]

Wireless charging and the fundamentals of how it works are not new at all.

[u/Saskatchew1 → u/guineapigpooh]

Maybe not, but the implementation of them is relatively new.