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Competition is really heating up in the wireless charging space. Last month, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) shared news that Qualcomm joined its board, and now the competing Power Matters Alliance (PMA) is making a similar announcement. Qualcomm has also signed on with the PMA, and will be taking on a “senior leadership role” at the organization. The chipset manufacturer is reportedly aiding in the development of a new specification that will enable PMA devices (such as Powermat) to receive wireless power using both low-frequency induction and high-frequency resonance. If that tech is implemented, certain smartphones and other gadgets will be compatible with a wider range of wireless charging devices. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on product announcements from other members, such as AT&T, which previously committed to lighting up several devices with PMA charging by 2014.

Filed under: Household, Wireless, Mobile

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Following a successful trial rollout at 17 stores in Boston, Starbucks has decided to join up with Powermat to bring the company’s wireless charging tech to Silicon Valley. The first installation will be completed this Sunday, at a store in San Jose, with up to 10 area locations set to be online before the end of August. Powermat President Daniel Schreiber explained that Silicon Valley was selected in order to boost the technology’s exposure among key industry players — AT&T has already confirmed that several of its smartphones will be compatible with the PMA standard in 2014, but the alliance needs event more support in order to grow momentum. The next logical step for this partnership would be for Powermat to sell coffee-resistant charging cases in Starbucks stores, of course, though neither company has made any announcements to that effect.

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Source: Duracell Powermat (PR Newswire)

The Duracell Powermat and the Power Matters Alliance are charging forward in their quest to make wireless charging of smartphones all the more ubiquitous, today announcing the appointment of several notable companies to the PMA’s shareholder board: Google, AT&T, and Starbucks. Subsequently, said appointments will result in various initiatives involving the wireless charging standard — select Boston-area Starbucks will get PMA standard-based wireless charging spots, AT&T is selling PMA standard-based charging devices in “select markets,” and … uh … Google is just kinda throwing its support in. Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist (best job title ever?) Vint Cerf already serves as honorary member of the PMA’s board, so perhaps that’s more than enough.

Ah, and of course, if you’re into charging mobile devices wirelessly while getting $2,500 Remy Martin bottle service, Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club is also supporting PMA-based wireless charging spots. Of course. For a full list of spots, check the PR below the break.

Continue reading Boston-area Starbucks testing wireless smartphone charging; Starbucks, Google and AT&T back PMA standard

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Peripherals, Google, AT&T

Boston-area Starbucks testing wireless smartphone charging; Starbucks, Google and AT&T back PMA standard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Power Matters Alliance, which is a wireless power standards group formed by Duracell’s Powermat and Procter & Gamble (parent company of Duracell), is aiming to create wireless power standards for smartphones and other devices under the IEEE’s guidelines. Big companies such as AT&T, Google, and Starbucks have signed up and are now backing the group.

However, the Power Matters Alliance is facing stiff competition from other wireless power standards groups, such as the Alliance for Wireless Power and the Wireless Power Consortium. The WPC is pushing for the Qi standard, which is PMA’s biggest rival and it’s also backed by a number of large hardware vendors like Samsung, Motorola, LG, and HTC.

However, now that AT&T, Google, and Starbucks are on board at PMA, the alliance could make some solid progress in their pursuit for a wireless power standard. Starbucks is planning to pilot a new program where it will bring Duracell Powermat charging stations to 17 Boston locations, and it could lead to a nation-wide rollout in the future.

Not only will the addition of more big-name companies help out the alliance, but the companies themselves that formed the alliance (like Duracell) will see a major boost in publicity and sales. Other companies that are backing PMA include Delta Airlines and General Motors, as well as celebrities like Jay-Z and big-name attractions like Madison Square Garden in New York City.

AT&T, Google, and Starbucks join the Power Matters Alliance is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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