What is the point of wireless chargers?

Maurice Chavez

Good evening,

I recently purchased a cheap "anker" branded wireless charger and I now feel like a complete and utter idiot.

I've been using mobile phones for about 25 years and when my battery gets low I simply grab my charger, plug it in and carry on doing what I'm doing.

After receiving my shiny new wireless charger and placing it on my desk, I was very excited and couldn't wait for my battery to get low. When it finally went low I stopped what I was doing and placed it on my shiny new wireless charger....

Then it dawned on me what a complete idiot I am. I had to stop what I was doing. All I could do was stare at my phone or somehow hold the entire wireless charging contraption like a sandwich with both hands, in order to continue writing my messages.

I then realised I've just wasted £25 on a show off's gimmick. I then drew my trusty old charging cable, plugged it in and carried on with writing my messages.

It's quite interesting how society is being sold pointless things which are less practical than the thing they are supposed to replace. And it's rather worrying how society is actually buying these things... If i ever see someone with a wireless charger, I will simply think "what a show off brain-dead guy".

Does anyone here think wireless chargers are actually a good thing? I mean it's the same technology which has been used in electric toothbrushes since the 90's, why do people suddenly think it's a good way of charging mobile phones?

Let's press the issue.

BM08

I think it’s more for people who work at a desk so you can charge it at the same time, otherwise for people like me who just charge at night before I sleep, it’s completely useless, the only difference is my phone is standing up or laying down without a cable plugged in! I’ve never had a use for one.

As you already said, it’s very inconvenient if you want to use it while it’s charging up.

Seal420

For some reason my charging cable and others I tried, plus a replacement battery wouldn't charge unless I could get the angle of attack right and had it balanced at  30 degrees! Bought a cheap wireless charger which does the trick but that was only as a last resort and to save me from dumping what was otherwise an immaculate iPhone

Miss Mandy

As with everything these days, it's personal preference.
For me they're great as they're so simple to use. I generally don't use my phone while it's charging so that's not an issue for me. Wireless charging works so quickly that I'd just lift the phone off to answer a text or whatever anyway rather than picking up the charger with it.

I work a desk job that also involves lots of getting up and dashing off to other rooms at short notice so being able to just grab my phone without having to remember to disconnect the lead is great.
The other plus side is that at home the kids tend to use my phone to watch YouTube and the toddler is not going to think about whether it's plugged in or not. We've had numerous broken leads and one broken phone because ones of them has grabbed it and pulled it away without realising it was plugged in.

Having said that though my current phone does not have wireless charging. It is definitely something I miss though and I will be replacing the phone at the earliest opportunity, I'm just waiting for the Huawei P30 launch to see if it's been included otherwise I'll be moving back to Samsung.

Saldawop

I'm with the OP (though I don't even think about what someone else is using) , prefer to use a cable, as I too usually use phone whilst charging. Well  when I say prefer, it's just never been something I have even thought about.

Inked

Wireless chargers are great to have dotted round the house. If I’m not using my phone I can just put it down and it’ll be charging. No need to go and grab the charging cable.

It means the charge never gets to a level whereby the phone would need to be plugged in or have to hold the wireless charger behind it “like a sandwich” for me to use it.

I have one in my car (factory fit) which means my phone can just be dropped onto it rather than plugged in and charge while I’m driving.

I do also have one on my bedside table for overnight charging.

The less “plugging in” things need, the better as far as I’m concerned.

localboy27

I love my wireless charger so handy to have them about the house and just sit thrm down for a quick charge

Amorris

I have 3 fast wireless chargers.

A Samsung Wireless Duo for my S10 and Galaxy Watch at my bedside.

A standing fast wireless charger and separate Galaxy watch charger in my home office

A flat fast wireless charger at my desk at work.

Main advantage is it's far more convenient to drop it onto a wireless dock, it removes a step and means during the week even with heavy use I never need to charge except at night. As I never really forget to "plug it in". Ultimately though you're right, it's not a big revolution and more a convenience.

hyperfish

I would feel the same way as the OP if I'd spent £25 on a wireless charger. I have four between home and work, £3 each.

AVFan_01

I think they are great as well. Although I do accept its not a required accessory. I have one on my bedside table. At night I just place my phone on it and its charged when I get up in the morning. I am lucky that I can get a full days use out of it, so dont need to charge it during the day.

If I did have to use my phone during charging, I would unplug the cable from the wireless charger and plug the lead into my phone. It would be silly trying to use the phone whilst trying to hold the phone and charger at the same time. Why would anyone try and use it like this?