Wireless charging technology did not originate from mobile phones—a breakthrough was made more than a hundred years ago, when Nikola Tesla conducted experiments on wireless power transmission in the 1890s. Today, wireless charging has evolved from Tesla’s vision into a mainstream smartphone feature driven by the Qi standard and ever-higher charging power.
(Last modified date: September 2, 2026)
When did wireless charging begin? Wireless charging traces back to Nikola Tesla’s 1890s experiments in wireless power transmission. For mobile phones, the Palm Pre (2009) was the first wireless-charging smartphone, and the Qi standard—released by the Wireless Power Consortium in March 2010—unified the industry from 2011 onward.
Key Takeaways
- Nikola Tesla conducted the first wireless power transmission experiments in the 1890s.
- The Wireless Power Consortium was founded in December 2008; Qi 1.0 shipped in March 2010.
- The Palm Pre (2009) was the first wireless-charging smartphone, using Palm’s Touchstone.
- The Sharp SH-13C (2011) was the first Qi-standard phone; Nexus 4 and Lumia 920 followed in 2012.
- Wireless charging power grew from 5W to 40W/65W, with Xiaomi 15 at 50W in 2024.
The Origin of Wireless Charging
The earliest wireless charging technology was invented by Nikola Tesla. In 1890, the physicist and electrical engineer conducted experiments on wireless power transmission—the International System of Units for magnetic induction intensity is named after him. Tesla envisioned transmitting energy by using the earth as the inner conductor and the ionosphere as the outer conductor, establishing a low-frequency resonance of about 8 Hz between them.
The Origin of the Qi Wireless Charging Protocol
Several technologies can realize wireless charging, and the two most common are electromagnetic induction and electromagnetic resonance. To unify wireless charging standards for phones, the Wireless Power Consortium was established on December 17, 2008, and released version 1.0 of the Qi standard in March 2010. As long as a phone carries the Qi logo, it can charge with any Qi wireless charger—solving the compatibility problem across different devices. Early representative Qi products include the Nokia Lumia 920, Lumia 820, and Google Nexus 4.
The First Wireless Charging Phones
On January 9, 2009, Palm announced webOS and its first phone, the Palm Pre—the world’s first smartphone to support wireless charging. It used Palm’s Touchstone system (5W, taking about 1 hour 40 minutes to charge the 1,150mAh battery) with a dedicated back cover, since it predated the Qi standard. On August 8, 2011, NTT Docomo and Sharp jointly released the SH-13C, the world’s first phone supporting the Qi standard—but it launched only in Japan.
The Development of Wireless Charging Mobile Phones
- October 2012: Google’s Nexus 4 (made by LG) supported Qi wireless charging.
- November 2012: Nokia’s Lumia 920—the first Windows Phone 8 device and a Qi-standard wireless charging phone—launched against the iPhone 5 and Samsung S3; the Lumia 810, 830, 925, 928, 929, 930, 1020, 1520, and 8 Sirocco followed.
- October 2012: HTC’s Droid DNA/Butterfly supported wireless charging in its US version.
- September 2017: Apple’s iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X joined the Qi ecosystem, bringing wireless charging into the mainstream.
- 2018: Sony Xperia XZ2, Xiaomi MIX 2S, and Nut R1 adopted wireless charging; Huawei Mate 20 Pro added 15W wireless plus 5W reverse wireless charging.
- 2019: Xiaomi 9 Pro supported 30W wireless flash charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.
- 2020: OPPO Ace2 raised wireless charging to 40W; OPPO then pushed it to 65W.
- October 2024: Xiaomi 15 shipped with 90W wired, 50W wireless charging, and a 6,100mAh battery.
Conclusion
Charging technology has made great breakthroughs in recent years. Although true space charging may not be realized soon, the power and basic distance of wireless charging have been solved, and its application in commercial and household fields is now on the agenda. Manufacturers like Wecent continue to advance Qi and GaN wireless chargers for global OEM and wholesale partners.
FAQs
Who invented wireless charging?
Nikola Tesla conducted the first experiments in wireless power transmission in the 1890s using electromagnetic induction principles.
What was the first wireless charging phone?
The Palm Pre (2009) was the first wireless-charging smartphone, using Palm’s proprietary Touchstone system before the Qi standard existed.
What was the first Qi-standard phone?
The Sharp SH-13C, released in Japan in August 2011, was the first phone supporting the Qi standard; Google Nexus 4 and Nokia Lumia 920 followed in 2012.
When did wireless charging go mainstream?
Apple’s iPhone 8/iPhone X launch in September 2017 brought Qi wireless charging to the mass market.
How fast is wireless charging today?
Wireless charging power has grown from 5W to 40W–65W, with models like the Xiaomi 15 supporting 50W wireless in 2024.
Related Articles
- When Was Wireless Charging Invented?
- What Was the First Wireless Charging Phone?
- Why Does Wireless Charger Overheating Occur?
Official Resources
References
- Historical milestones follow the original article; independent verification of specific dates recommended [VERIFY].
