WPC is an open standards development organisation that works with electronic and technology companies across the world. Our mission is to enable consumers to enjoy the convenience and benefits of wireless power by establishing global standards for safety, efficiency and interoperability. We are the world’s leading authority on wireless power transfer and a hallmark of trust, relied upon by millions of people in countless countries.
By collaborating together, our 300+ member companies are able to define global standards in wireless power that ensure safety and interoperability, while enabling members to exert design freedom and differentiate their products.
Our Qi interface technology, certified for over 9000 different wireless charging products, is a great example of what collaboration and cooperation can do.
WPC also provides easy access to the essential patents using reasonable and non-discriminating terms (RAND).
The WPC Board of Directors oversees the direction of the organisation. The nine members of the Board come from member companies and are elected by WPC membership to serve two year terms. Day to day business of the WPC is led by an executive team of Officers. Working Groups lead the development and ongoing management of WPC’s standards. Working Groups are chaired by individuals from a variety of member companies. IEEE-ISTO is contracted to provide administration for the Consortium.
The Wireless Power Consortium published the first Qi specification (5W) in August 2010, 18 months after the first meeting. The first product was certified in September 2010. Since then, the database of Qi Certified products has grown to over 9,000 products, with more added every day. The latest Qi specification now supports wireless charging up to 15W.
Initially, wireless charging of mobile phones required a sleeve. The first mobile phones with integrated Qi receivers were announced at CTIA in March 2011 and by NTT-Docomo in May 2011. There are now many models of phones that have integrated support for Qi from leading manufacturers like Apple, Google, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Huawei, Xiaomi and others.
Qi2 is the next generation of Qi wireless charging and will launch later in 2023. Qi2 will offer greater charging efficiency, faster charging based on the improved efficiency, and greater convenience.
In addition to wireless charging for mobile phones and other small electronic devices, WPC has expanded into delivering wireless power to the kitchen with the new Ki standard to be launched in 2024, as well as a standard in development to bring the convenience, safety and durability of wireless charging to Light Electric Vehicles such as ebikes and escooters.
Membership in the WPC has also grown. From the original 8 member companies, the WPC has grown to more than 30 companies. A full list of our members is available here.
WPC is a virtual corporation. While the current Officer team resides in the United States, the Board of Directors and corporate staff members live throughout the world.
Any company satisfying the conditions of membership can join WPC.
Membership requires signing two original membership agreements and paying the membership dues. To become a WPC member, go to our How to Join page.
Any company may join WPC at any time. There is no deadline to join and no plan to limit membership.
Annual fees are based on Membership levels and can be found here.
No. However, there are different levels of membership with different benefits offered and corresponding fee levels. See fees and benefits here.
There are three levels of membership: Regular, Adopter, and Associate. However Associate memberships has been discontinued beginning January 1, 2024. See the Membership page for more details. For more information on Associate memberships contact us at administrator@wirelesspowerconsortium.com.
Membership applications are reviewed and approved by WPC staff personnel specifically designated for Membership Management.
Membership applications take a couple of days to process. You will receive a contract to sign and an invoice. Membership starts after payment of the invoice has been received.
Associate members may participate in work groups that are open to all members such as the Infrastructure Applications Group and the Automotive Application Group. Associate members cannot participate in work groups that develop specifications.
Yes. We are now accepting new Regular Membership applications.
No. Member companies may request multiple user accounts for their employees to access the confidential members area of the website.
The trademark license is required to use the Qi Wireless Power logo and seal on any product or in commercial documentation. Information can be found on the Trademark Licenses page.
No, only members can apply for Qi certification and therefore only members can use the logo. See the rules here.
No, certification is only available to WPC members.
This will depend on the schedule of the test lab you have selected.
The cost depends on the test lab you have selected. Authorised testing laboratories are independently owned and operated and are not affiliated with the WPC. Members can select from a list of authorised labs based throughout the world. More information is available here.
No, your customers don’t need to sign. If your company joins the WPC and signs the logo license agreement, you can register products and obtain the license for your customers.
A battery with an embedded wireless power receiver (a powerbank) can be certified. Send the battery to the test lab. If the battery passes all the Qi certification tests, the test lab will issue a test report and your company can use the logo on the battery.
No, the WPC does not market, sell or recommend products. WPC member companies produce and market Qi Wireless Power products. The certified products database can be found here.
Qi certification addresses the challenge of low-quality, counterfeit products that are potentially unsafe with a certification program for wireless charging products built to the Qi global standard. Only WPC members can have products Qi Certified. For more information on certification, go here.
Given our unrelenting focus on safety, efficiency and cost, the WPC and its members are focused on near-field techniques only. While an interesting concept, far-field technology has significant cost, efficiency and safety issues that means it has limited commercial application. Near-field wireless charging has proven to be better suited for consumer electronics. See our blog on this topic here.
The Qi standard allows phones to draw 15W from a Qi wireless charger that can deliver 15W. Today, there are Qi Certified chargers that can deliver between 5W and 15W of power. It’s the phone and its manufacturer that decides how much power it takes from the charger, although the phone can never take more than the maximum power capacity of the charger. As the demand for fast charging grows, we expect to see costs decline and more phones to include this capability.
It’s hard to predict when Qi will achieve the universal popularity of WiFi. That depends on the percentage of people that have a Qi Certified phone. With almost all major smartphone manufacturers now offering Qi Certified models, we expect to see that percentage grow in the future. Our members are installing Qi Certified chargers in thousands of restaurants, hotels, public transportation, coffee shops and many other venues around the world and we expect this trend to continue.
Lithium battery capacity typically decreases as the number of charging cycles increases, though this is only one factor that can reduce overall battery life. According to public research, a battery’s lifespan actually increases by 4x when the depth of discharge – or the amount that the battery is drained – is limited to 50% rather than 100%. In other words, by continually topping up the phone battery during the day, as you might do with Qi wireless charging, and not letting your phone battery dip below 50%, you can actually increase the lifespan of your battery.
By joining the WPC you will become a key player in shaping and advancing wireless power standards. WPC members gain invaluable insights to compete more successfully and lead the charge in introducing cutting-edge wireless power transfer products to the market.
To be certain that a product has been tested to Qi certification standards, search for it in our database.