Roger Fingas
The newest twist on charging the iPhone 8 and X is the Legrand Radiant Wireless Charger, a wall outlet with a built-in Qi-compatible charging pad.
The product can be installed in place of any existing single-gang outlet, and keeps iPhones and other devices on the charging pad using a cradle. For non-Apple electronics an LED light glows red while charging is underway and turns green once a device is ready.
Also present for wired charging are two standard AC sockets and a USB-A port.
The Wireless Charger is currently only available in white, but black, ivory, and almond variations will eventually ship to match different color schemes. Legrand is selling the accessory for $79.33, but Lowe's currently has the Radiant Wireless Charger on sale for $68.98.
It should theoretically support this year's 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch iPhones, all of which should be Qi-ready. It may also fit some iPads, but it's not yet clear if this year's Pro models — which could be announced at WWDC 2018 — will even allow wireless charging.
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6 Comments
Is anyone worried about when you get a notification and this thing vibrates? I'm sure they tested it... but...
Philosophically this product reinforces to me the limitations of current wireless charging technology. A fixed point that is even more fixed.
Otherwise it looks nice. Maybe for the kitchen.
Rather deceptive specs. I'll bet the claimed 3.1A power is for the wireless charger and the USB port. So, the question becomes: Does the USB port only provide 1A or does the wireless charger only provide about 5W.
This is so dumb. For tech that is called "wireless", this product makes you more tethered than using a wire. I keep 10 ft cables near my couch so I can use my devices comfortably while charging.
Wouldn't it charge faster and cost less if that cradle the phone sits in had a plain old lightning connector?