iPhone wireless charging – how does it work and what are the best charging pads?

DESPITE KICKING about for yonks, wireless charging is only now having a breakout moment – and it's all thanks to Apple.

All three of the company's latest flagships (the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X) pack wireless charging capabilities.

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So if you own one of the stellar devices, you may want to familiarise yourself with the revolutionary tech.

Fortunately, we've got your back courtesy of this helpful guide to the relatively new feature.

How does wireless charging work?

Wireless charging ditches the need for a cable by juicing up your iPhone via a power-transmitting mat or tabletop.

And phones that don't come with the tech baked in can be charged using an attachable case.

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The feature relies on inducting charging, whereby a charge is created by passing an electrical current through two coils to create an electromagnetic field.

This power is then fed to the phone's internal battery.

Both the mat and the device being charged need to be in close proximity to work, and the process tends to be slower than wired charging.

There are a couple of competing standards battling for industry domination.

Most smartphones support both the Wireless Power Consurtium's Qi and the PMA or AirFuel Alliance standards, meaning they're compatible with most wireless chargers.

For its part, Apple has gone with Qi, which could lay waste to the competition as a result.

Should you wait to buy Apple's AirPower wireless charger?

Alongside its new iPhone reveals last September, Apple also announced that it's developing its own AirPower wireless charging pad.

So should you hold out for the official release (expected at WWDC in June) or fall back on a third-party charger?

If you can't wait (and only want to charge your iPhone 8 or iPhone X) then go ahead and get in on the action now.

Then again, seeing as the AirPower has already been announced, Apple could plop the device on its store without warning – giving you serious FOMO.

The biggest perk for Apple fans is the ability to charge three devices at once on the AirPower pad: an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

Then there's the potential price tag.

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A non-Apple wireless charging mat will likely set you back far less than the AirPower, which is tipped to cost between £150 to £200.

To sum up, buy a third-party mat if you want wireless charging right now.

Alternatively, wait for the AirPower if you own all of the compatible devices it works with, because that type of convenience can't be beat.

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