Wireless charging powering forward for your mobile phones

On Tuesday two wireless charging standards agreed to join forces and share their technologies so that both can improve.

It's a move that will not only improve the standards of wireless charging technology but will also drive the industry towards a universal standard and in the process likely increase the adoption of it, turning it from a fairly niche technology to something which could one-day outright replace wired charging.

Though in the short term its more likely just to mean that more phones and other devices will support it, while the uptake of wireless charging pads in coffee shops and other public spaces may increase too.

Wireless charging gives you a lot more freedom with your device. Rather than being chained to a cable you can just put your phone or other device on a charging surface. No more searching for your charger or fiddling around plugging it in. Longer term it could also mean wireless charging abilities being built into tables and desks, so simply putting your phone down on them will charge it.

The future's wireless

Right now there are three wireless charging standards: Power Matter Alliance (PMA), Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) and the Wireless Power Consortium's Qi - and the former two have now teamed up.

Previously any wireless charging solution would generally only be certified for one of those standards, but now it will be possible for them to incorporate technology from both PMA and A4WP.

PMA has developed the Open Network API, which can turn individual charging spots into a global wireless power network, while A4WP has created the only wireless charging specification which uses magnetic resonance, a technology which enables devices to be charged without being in contact with anything.

So now the two companies will be able to share those technologies and anything else they develop, meaning that they can all potentially be supported by devices, making wireless charging devices more adaptable. It should help usher in the next generation of wireless chargers and bring us one step closer to a wire free future.

• Wondering why wireless charging is the way forward? Here's the answer.

Nokia could have more Android phones coming this May

Rumors of the Nokia Normandy are really heating up and soon it might just be the first of a whole pack of Android-powered phones.

Phone Arena posted a new report talking with an Artesyn Technologies source that says the Finnish phone company will have more Android phones coming this year including several higher-end models.

Supposedly this new slew of phones powered by Google's mobile OS will be revealed sometime between May and June. The source says the phones will come at different price points but there's no word if it will be able to reach the Play Store unlike the Normandy.

Shuffling technology around

The Phone Arena report goes on to say that Microsoft has put Nokia through the chop shop, leaving its new acquisition with the low-end Asha and feature phone departments.

Meanwhile, teams involved with Nokia's more notable hardware bits including PureView Cameras, HAAC microphones, and ClearBlack displays have been moved to Redmond.

Taking these technology shifts into account, its possible that a majority of Nokia's Android phones could come as budget handsets with the Asha overlay – essentially a faux-smartphone tiled, touchscreen interface.

Nokia's Android pathfinder

Thus far, the only Android Nokia handset we know about is the Normandy. The phone set to make its debut at MWC 2014 and its already shaping up to be an abnormal little droid.

Instead of accessing the Play Store, Microsoft plans to supply the handset with their own apps such as Here maps and Mix radio, and Nokia's own shop of Android apps.

Its already odd enough to see the Microsoft-owned company putting anything but a Windows Phone OS on just one of its handset, but we'll let you know if we spot any other goodies from Nokia featuring Google's green bot.

• Nokia might have some kind of Android, but the Motorola Moto G has KitKat, check it out in our revie

With latest shuffle, Samsung bets on cameras setting its phones apart

After creating smartphone-camera hybrid oddities such as the Samsung Galaxy NX and Galaxy S4 Zoom, it seems the Korean electronics maker is doubling down on cameras setting its cell phones apart.

Samsung has done a little deck shuffling, placing its camera division under the guiding wing of its mobile biz.

Korea IT News reported that the Galaxy-phone maker hopes the move will create synergies between the two divisions. On one end, the mobile segment can share its know-how to create better, wirelessly connected digital cameras.

The ultimate goal is apparently for Samsung to overtake the mirrorless camera market by 2015.

But like all good partnerships, the street goes both ways, and Samsung wants the mash up to help "differentiate" its smartphones by packing them with the latest and greatest camera tech.

Adapt or die

This latest internal move is a smart one for Samsung, and builds on what the company has already done with its smartphone-camera amalgamations.

Samsung need only look at Nokia for inspiration of what installing better cameras in your handsets can do. Thanks to devices like the 41MP Lumia 1020, Windows Phone has seen a surge in usage, especially in Europe.

Only time will tell if Samsung's corporate tango will dramatically improve the quality of its smartphone cameras and creates a whole new line of connected cameras.

We doubt we'll see any groundbreaking new products come out of this closer partnership until Photokina, the mega photo gear show going down next September.

But the tech industry has always held surprises before, and we'll snap up anything we see at CES 2014 and Mobile World Congress.

• Speaking of phones and cameras, the Galaxy S5 is said to come with a new 16MP snapper.