Difficulty Shopping For Qi-capable Tablet

[jabowery]

When shopping for tablets, it seems the specifications rarely if ever state whether they support Qi charging or not. This is a primary requirement as I'm getting it for someone suffering from a movement disorder who therefore cannot plug in the micro-USB.

Do specifications overlook Qi charging because it isn't so much a feature of the tablets as a feature of the battery and they expect you to get a Qi capable battery?

Is there a site somewhere that specializes in telling which devices support Qi charging?

PS: I am having to return a Nexus 7 second generation (2013) I purchased because it apparently was "refurbished" with a battery without a Qi coil.

 

[mikedt]

I don't think that wireless charging is a feature of tablets, unlike phones. Certainly no Samsung, Huawei, Asus, or Lenovo tablets have Qi wireless charging. And Apple iPads don't have wireless charging either

There are Qi wireless receivers that attach to the back of the device available. Most tablets are sealed battery, so a Qi enabled battery isn't an option anyway.

So yeh it maybe difficult, or even impossible to shop for a Qi capable tablet, because manufacturers just don't make the things AFAIK. And the best can do is a third-party Qi receiver, that attaches to the back and plugs into the device.

 

[jabowery]

...
So yeh it maybe difficult, or even impossible to shop for a Qi capable tablet, because manufacturers just don't make the things AFAIK. ...

That being the case, one would hope that comparisons between 4G and WiFi tablets would say something about the lack of Qi charging. A quick search comes up with this 4G vs WiFi iPad comparison and it says nothing about Qi charging being different. Of course, it could simply be an oversight of that one article but, that said, it would be nice if someone somewhere actually said what you just said -- but said it as a warning to folks looking for WiFi with Qi so they don't end up in pointless and frustrating interactions with retailers.

 

[mikedt]

No iPads have wireless charging. One thing they all have a metal backs, which rules out wireless charging anyway. I think that's why many manufacturers produce glass backed phones, that can be charged wirelessly.

 

[lvt]

Most of people think wireless charging would help preserving the USB port and it's their main reason to look for With.

There is another solution, the magnetic charging plugs. Using a magnetic charging port virtually creates zero wear on the USB port.