Originally posted by Hadlee Simons on Android Authority
- Ossia has teamed up with Spigen to reveal a smartphone case with true wireless charging capabilities.
- The technology allows you to simply stand within range of a transmitter to charge your phone.
- Ossia says it plans to release cases with the technology by 2020 at the latest.
We’ve covered Ossia‘s true wireless charging technology before, touting the ability to charge your device by simply standing near a transmitter. This cutting-edge tech isn’t ready for commercial availability just yet, but the company has teamed up with Spigen to show off a compatible smartphone case at CES 2019.
The Forever Case, spotted by Gizmodo, is a proof-of-concept battery case packing Ossia’s Cota wireless tech. All you need to do is stand between 10 and 12 feet from a transmitter in order to charge the device. This is a step beyond current wireless charging solutions, which require you to place the device on a charging pad.
Ossia confirms that charging can take place while your device is in motion, and you don’t need line-of-sight to the transmitter either. So if you’re one to pace back and forth while taking a call, this solution should still work.
This case is only meant for the iPhone X right now, but the two companies are apparently working on cases for other devices as well. Ossia also plans to switch from a 2.4Ghz signal for power transmission to a 5.8Ghz signal for better range and power. This switch will also enable smaller transmitters and antennae.
It’s unclear how fast Ossia’s true wireless charging solution actually is, but the company touted one watt of power back in 2015 (far less than a USB connection). Between further refinements and the move to the 5.8Ghz signal, we can only expect faster speeds. But I wouldn’t expect anything as fast as current pad-based charging solutions just yet.
So when can we actually buy one of these cases?
“Our aim is to work with Spigen to deliver Cota-enabled phone cases for 5.8Ghz by or before 2020,” said Ossia chief revenue officer Doug Stovall in a press statement. It might be a vague launch window, but the fact that we’ve got a release timeline at all is pretty encouraging.
