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Yesterday, SM announced and installed wireless charging docks found in Ficus Trees around the Central Atrium block of SM Mall of Asia.
This announcement was first heard of in their Facebook page and lets anyone charge their phone wirelessly for free. However, take note that your phone should support wireless charging for your phone to be charged. Currently, this feature is seen mostly on flagships, but there are rare cases where there are midrangers that have access to wireless charging as well. Please check the specs of your phone to determine if your phone supports wireless charging.
How does Wireless Charging work?
Wireless charging works only if your phone supports it. Wireless chargers work by creating a magnetic field that your phone absorbs, which would be converted to energy. The phone must also have coil inside that communicates with your wireless charger so that it can charge. That is why only a few select models have them. They might not work if there’s a case inside because the case blocks the magnetic field required so that your phone can charge (however, there are some cases that lets magnetic field in, and is purposefully-built for wireless charging).
Wired vs Wireless Charging
While wireless charging seem to be hi-tech and hi-end, there are still some drawbacks. First, wireless chargers usually charge slower than wired charging, and the farther the magnetic field is to the device’s receiving coil, the slower it charges so users can’t even use their phone while charging. Second, phones charging wirelessly to public places are more prone to being stolen since inattentive users will see their phone gone, when they were just charging a minute ago. Third, only a select models support wireless charging but that might change in the future, currently, as mentioned earlier, only flagships have this feature. Finally, wireless charging pads are much more expensive to buy than wired chargers. While you can buy a wired charger that supports at least 18W fast charging for a few dollars, you might need to spend more for wireless chargers.
In addition to that, phones charging wirelessly use heat to transfer the energy from the pad to the coil, this can damage the battery in the long run especially if the phone is prone to overheating.
Wired charging on the other hand, is cheaper, less prone to stealing, and charges faster because it plugs directly into your phone. However, they can easily be counterfeited, are more prone to breaking and has a higher chance of short-circuiting.
Source: SM Mall of Asia, BusinessInsider, Paul and Frijters