Charging your phone is going to be as quick as warming up a hot pocket at the rate Qualcomm is going. The technology company debuted its fourth generation of quick charging technology, Quick Charge 4, this week at the Snapdragon Tech Summit.
“We put a lot of hard work and engineering into new products, and we’re gonna deliver what we hope is a much better charging experience from 2016.”
– Everett Roach, Qualcomm’s senior director of product management.
In a study conducted by Qualcomm, the company found that 61% of phone buyers polled rated quick charging as a priority. Qualcomm utilises an algorithm called Intelligent Negotiation for Optimum Voltage (INOV) for its Quick Charge capabilities. As can be discerned, INOV dictates how much power your device can request from your charging cables. Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4 further optimises this delicate balance. I say delicate balance because it was the overheating of devices whilst charging that caused woes for Samsung. Thankfully, Quick Charge 4 includes heat management as part of the update.
Furthermore, on the physical side of charging, wall chargers and other devices using Quick Charge 4 will have protections to prevent overcharging and overheating. Smartphones that are powered by the new Snapdragon 835 will get three levels of current and voltage protection, as well as four levels of protection to stop overheating. The 835 will also further optimise battery life.
But the big thing about Quick Charge 4 is that it will be twenty percent faster when it comes to charging, compared to the last generation of Quick Charge. Furthermore, the latest iteration of Quick Charge will also be 30% more battery efficient. It will also keep your phone’s temperature while charging up to five degrees cooler.
Qualcomm doesn’t intend for Quick Charge to be limited to smartphones; Roach envisions Quick Charge 4 powering tablets, drones and more.
