No More Wire Charging!: Ikea’s New Line of Lamps Lets Smartphone Owners Charge Devices Wirelessly

In addition to creating stylish and affordable furniture for customers all over the world, Swedish furniture maker Ikea is now going high-tech, too, with a new line of lamps, bedside tables and desks that can charge mobile devices wirelessly.

Charging smartphones without a cord may sound like something out of science fiction, but it’s actually possible thanks to the Wireless Qi standard, which many devices are now equipped with.

All owners have to do is place their smartphones on a “dimple” on the furniture piece’s surface, and the Qi feature on the devices takes care of the rest.

Currently, only certain devices use Qi technology, including a few of those by Nokia, HTC, LG and Samsung. The iPhone does not support this type of charging.

But no matter which type of device needs charging, Ikea has its customers covered: the brand will also offer an accessory that will sit in the dimple instead, so users can plug their phones in rather than having to reach for an outlet. The furniture pieces all have a port in their base that can charge phones with a cord, if necessary.

The new Ikea line might be great for apartments and college dorms, especially, but those who are furnishing larger spaces might ask for interior design advice when it comes to managing all their gadgets.

So far, the Ikea line includes several white lamps, such as an architect’s lamp, a small end table lamp and a tall standing lamp with a built-in cafe table or desk. The line also features a white end table.

Ikea also plans to update two of their desks, the Micke and Stuva, with wireless charging capabilities in the near future.

Currently, there is more than one type of wireless charging that’s hit the market. Although Qi is a major standard found in many smartphones, a competitor, PMA, also produces wireless tech for big chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks.

Most devices only support one standard or the other. The Samsung Galaxy S6 supports both.

The Ikea collection will hit stores in Europe and North America on April 15 and will be available for the rest of the world shortly after.

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