China Caps Wireless Charger Wattage to Not Exceed 50W, Here’s Why

China is looking for ways to standardise charging speeds, and 50W wireless charger wattage is being deemed good enough.

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China is seemingly looking to restrict wireless charger wattage to a maximum of 50W, therefore introducing a fairly strong injunction clause into the plans of device manufacturers to continue finding faster wireless charging methods. According to information reportedly shared by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as part of a document titled ‘Interim Provisions on Radio Management of Wireless Charging’, the limitation will clearly restrict all portable wireless chargers to maximum charging speed of 50W.

As per the data available, wireless charger wattage is set to be capped at 50W for “all mobile and portable wireless charging devices produced, imported, sold and used in China.” The move will come into effect from January 1, 2022, and given that China is typically fairly stringent in implementing its policies across the country, it remains to be seen how, or if, may this stifle innovation in the battery and fast charging department.

At present, there are no hard and fast rules that have been floated as the logic behind the ban on faster wireless charging by China. One of the reasons here could be to restrict risks posed by fast wireless charging standards, such as overheating of cells, wires and other components — which may pose certain risks to smartphones and smartphone users. The other reason could be to initiate work around improving the efficiency of wireless charging technologies and making it ubiquitous, before looking to expand further.

Nevertheless, the move appears to go against what Chinese OEMs have been up to, of late. Xiaomi is known to be working on faster fast charging methods, and Realme’s recent MagDart technology is just about in line of what the Chinese authorities appear to have sanctioned. Given China’s influence on the smartphone world globally, it will be interesting to see the kind of impact that this move has on the world of fast wireless charger innovations.