Moto 360 will use sapphire glass, wireless charging -- report

The wireless charging capability falls in line with Motorola's previous tease of a "secret" method, while sapphire glass would give the smartwatch a more scratch-resistant shell.

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Samsung, HTC, LG, and Qualcomm back Rezence wireless charging standard

The trouble with the early days of a new technology is that multiple "standards" arise to compete for the space, meaning incompatibilities and confusion for consumers. The emerging market of wireless charging accessories is no different. The newest entrant into the space is Rezence (a mashup of "resonant" and "essence"), which is a wireless charging standard backed by a group including Samsung, HTC, LG, and Qualcomm.
Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) is the group backing the new standard, which aims to improve on current wireless charging options in a few ways. Rezence is said to have an increased charging range, meaning that even if you have a book between your charging surface and device, you'll get charged. The standard is looking to help with our multi-device world by allowing you to charge your phone, tablet, smartwatch, and more all at the same time. A big upgrade is what A4WP is calling "ready for the real world", which means the charging pads will still work in the presence of metal, meaning you won't have to worry about keys, and the pads can be built into appliances. Last is Bluetooth integration to create so-called "Smart Charging stations".
Rezence definitely sounds like it has been well thought out, and should offer a good option. The Rezence certification program will launch in the next few weeks. A4WP includes support from Samsung, LG, Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom, HTC, and about 65 other companies. Rezence will be competing with Qi wireless charging (used in Nexus devices and Nokia device), and Power 2.0. It should be noted that many of these companies - including Samsung, HTC, LG, and Qualcomm - are members of all three standards alliances.
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Say hello to Rezence, your new wireless charging brand

All of these devices can theoretically be charged in one spot.

(Credit:A4WP)

Meet the new wireless charging technology, same as the old wireless charging technology.

It's called Rezence (pronounced like "reh-zence"), and it is the new brand for the Alliance 4 Wireless Power (A4WP), a group of high-profile technology companies -- which counts Samsung Electronics, Qualcomm, and Intel as key members -- pitching a next-generation form of wireless charging.

In fact, it hopes Rezence becomes as well known as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Wireless charging, which allows you to place a phone or other device on a pad to recharge its battery, is found in select tech products and stores, but it's largely still a niche feature.

One of the biggest impediments to the broader adoption of wireless charging -- which seems like a no-brainer kind of feature to have -- are three competing and incompatible standards:

There's the Power Matters Alliance, which has created charging stations in select Starbucks and McDonald's, as well as cases for popular phones such as the iPhone. The group is largely driven by Powermat Technologies and Procter & Gamble.

Then, there's the Wireless Power Consortium, which uses a standard called Qi that is commonly used in Nokia smartphones and other select devices from manufacturers such as HTC and LG Electronics.

Lastly, there's the A4WP, which prior to Thursday's announcement, didn't have a public presence or brand, and doesn't yet have products in the marketplace.

With the PMA and WPC battling it out in the market with no clear winner, it's the A4WP that hopes to usurp both with arguably better technology.

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Rezence is named after the technology it is based off, called magnetic resonance. This version of wireless charging allows for multiple devices to lie on the same pad to get a charge, be moved around, or even go through small obstructions such as a magazine or piece of paper.

Qi and the PMA standard both use a technology called inductive charging, where devices need to be specifically laid on a charging pad in order to connect. Both the PMA and WPC are starting to look for ways to add the kinds of features that Rezence promises.

In the meantime, Rezence is going to get rolling with products in the coming year, with many launching next year, according to Geoff Gordon, a product manager at Qualcomm who serves as the chairman of the marketing committee for the A4WP. He said that the Consumer Electronics Show will serve as a showcase for these products.

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