Belkin may not release a wireless charger 

The timing of wireless charging at home just got bleaker. On Wednesday, a press release from Israeli wireless charging company Wi-Charge detailed plans to partner with Belkin to launch a consumer product with Wi-Charge technology this year. Now Belkin is softening those expectations.

On Wednesday, TechCrunch interviewed Wi-Charge co-founder and chief commercial officer Ori Mora. A TechCrunch reporter wrote that Wi-Charge “told me it just signed a mysterious deal with Belkin and we can expect the first wireless power device from the accessory maker later this year.”Mohr told the publication that Belkin is being “super-aggressive on deadlines.”

Mohr raised hopes for domestic wireless charging without wires and pads, saying that Belkin’s product in development is “a staple consumer product”and that Belkin has chosen “the perfect app.”Neither Mor nor Wi-Charge pointed to a Belkin product, but a Wi-Charge executive spoke about Belkin’s business in aftermarket chargers, smart home products and power line offerings.

However, Belkin spokesperson Jen Wei said in a statement Thursday that Belkin is still a long way from releasing a Wi-Charge-based product.

“Currently, our agreement with Wi-Charge only obliges us to conduct R&D on certain product concepts, so it is too early to comment on the timing of viable consumer products,” Wei said in a statement emailed to Ars Technica. “Belkin’s method is to carefully examine the viability of a technology and conduct rigorous user testing before accepting a product concept. Here at Belkin, we only launch products when we confirm technical feasibility, backed by a deep understanding of consumers.”

Wei said that Belkin remains “fully committed to the transition from wired to wireless and believes in the future of wireless charging.”

Wi-Charge technology uses a small, installed transmitter connected to an AC or DC outlet to “convert electricity into harmless infrared rays,”according to the Wi-Charge website. The company says the transmitter sends up to 1W of power to devices containing a Wi-Charge receiver that are within 40 feet and line of sight. Receivers then turn this light into energy.

The Verge, which broke the news that Belkin had no specific plans to release a wireless charging device, quoted Wi-Charge spokesman Merrill Freund as saying, “We don’t comment on Belkin other than what’s in the release.”According to The Verge, Freund said Wi-Charge would release two wireless charging products “on its own,”but did not provide more details.

When asked about The Verge’s report, including the two aforementioned products, a Wi-Charge spokesperson said, “We will provide details on Wi-Charge products at a later date.”

Low expectations

However, this is a blow to hopes for a wireless charging solution this year.

Companies like Wi-Charge, Ossia, and Energous have been demonstrating consumer products with true wireless charging for years. But we haven’t seen the product available for purchase yet.

One of the most promising examples I’ve seen in person was a Spigen-branded phone case with Ossia’s radio wave-based wireless charging technology that allowed the phone to be charged inside the case. In 2019, the company even showed how the device is powered while in a pocket or desk drawer. But the case is still not available for purchase.

“Ossia is still working with Spigen and several other manufacturers on a phone case,”an Ossia spokesperson said. “Because the technology requires a transmitter and a receiver, placing transmitters in the home will open up many possibilities for phone cases, consumer devices, and home IoT kits (sensors, doorbells, cameras, etc.).”

In addition to problems with wireless charging for the home (Ossia has been working on a smaller transmitter, for example), there are regulatory hurdles in the US. These include FCC approval for radio wave technology and FDA approval for Wi-Charge infrared technology.

While Belkin’s claims mean we may not see true wireless charging products in 2022, there is hope for early 2023. That’s when Ossia expects its partner, the French company Archos, to launch true wireless charging products for the home. The first products will be “an indoor wireless camera, [a] air quality and temperature monitoring station, [] a smart tracker, and [] a smart medical watch,”the spokesperson said.

But given that Archos originally expected the products to be released in 2022, it’s probably best not to have high expectations.