West Herr New York discusses how the new Qi wireless charging technology in some cars works with smartphones in a posting on its website.
The Qi charging pads, built into the center console on applicable vehicles, allow phone charging without plugging the phone into the car. Setting the phone on the pad charges it, but it's not always easy to get the pad set up for your phone, the posting said.
For the charging pad to work properly, the phone must support wireless charging. Samsung Galaxy S6 and higher models support this technology, while iPhones do not. Even so, it's possible to get a non-compatible smartphone to charge without a wired connection. Some companies sell cases that make the phone wireless-charging compatible. These are available at electronics stores.
Wireless charging works via an electromagnetic field that sends electricity to a compatible phone when the phone rests on the QI pad.
As a safety note, make sure metal objects such as coins or keys are not between the phone and the pad while the phone is charging, as the objects can get extremely hot, the posting said.
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