Skip to main content

uBeam wants to make wireless charging as easy as connecting to Wi-Fi

Many of us can’t possibly imagine life without our smartphones, but they aren’t without their problems. Although the phones are continuing to get more powerful, battery life isn’t keeping up.  But what if you could charge them almost anywhere and it was as simple as connecting to Wi-Fi?

That’s exactly what wireless charging startup uBeam is aiming for. Last year we reported that uBeam had produced a fully functional prototype of its ultrasonic wireless charging platform. Now the company has refined its early prototypes into something more consumer-friendly, and venture capitalists are all over it.

Recommended Videos

After receiving $3.2 million in seed funding followed by a $10 million investment from Upfront Ventures last year, uBeam is looking at raising $50 million or more, according to TechCrunch. Part of this is related to developing the technology itself, but that isn’t all that uBeam has up its sleeve.

Instead of simply selling its wireless charging case and charging stations directly to consumers, uBeam is looking at partnering with retail locations, fast food chains, airlines, and others to provide wireless charging much in the same way that those locations currently offer Wi-Fi.

StarBucks is said to be especially close to signing a deal with uBeam, but Starwood hotels and Virgin are also mentioned. In addition to these retailers, uBeam is said to be talking with hardware manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. Whether this is about providing built-in wireless charging or simply partnering to sell wireless charging cases as accessories is unknown, but it’s hard not to get excited about the possibilities.

Unlike current wireless charging systems, which require the device being charged to remain stationary on a mat, uBeam’s ultrasonic transduction works at a range of around 15 feet, and there is no need for the devices to sit still. They can be operated even as they continue to charge.

There are still many problems to be solved before this technology becomes fit for daily use, but at least we are now at the beginning. And it might be the beginning of the end as well, at least as far as power cords are concerned.

Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Does the OnePlus 11 have wireless charging? What you need to know
OnePlus 11 with charging block and cable.

OnePlus phones usually have very fast wired charging, but does the OnePlus 11 also have wireless charging? It’s a common feature on most smartphones today and one that can add a great deal of convenience during the daily use of a device.

Your phone is running low on battery, you need to charge it, but you don't want to fiddle with pesky cables. If your device supports wireless charging, you don't need to! Just plop it down on a charging stand or pad, and the battery fills up without you ever needing to touch a wire. It's a huge convenience on the best phones in 2023 — but is this true of the OnePlus 11?
The OnePlus 11 does not have wireless charging

Read more
CES 2023: MagSafe-like charging is coming to Android phones this year
iPhone 12 Pro Max with MagSafe charger

The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) announced a new standard for wireless charging called Qi2 during CES 2023.

Qi2 s a new standard that aims to unify the mobile industry under a global standard for convenience and efficiency when it comes to charging mobile devices and wearables.

Read more
Does the Apple iPad Pro (2022) have wireless charging? Here’s what you need to know
The M2 iPad Pro.

Apple's new iPad Pro (2022) seemed to land out of nowhere, and if you've got your eye on the most powerful iPad in the Apple lineup, chances are you want to check whether it's got wireless charging before you spend your hard-earned cash. Wireless charging isn't a common feature on tablets, and we've got some good news and bad news when it comes to Apple's latest iPad Pro.
The bad news

Let's start with the bad news: The Apple iPad Pro (2022) doesn't have wireless charging. There were rumors the next iPad Pro would come with wireless charging and MagSafe, but this never came to pass. With that said, most tablets on the market don't offer wireless charging, so you're not really missing out.
Is it a big deal?
Now for the good news: Since most of us have never owned a tablet without wireless charging, you're not likely to miss it here. The new Apple iPad Pro (2022) packs a 28.65-watt-hour battery in the 11-inch model and a 40.88-watt-hour battery in the 12.9-inch model, which are two hefty battery cells..

Read more