Q: Wireless charging looks like a simple "place it down and it charges" affair—so why are patents even in the picture?
A: On the surface it is coil-to-coil power transfer, but underneath sits a stack of standard-essential patents (SEPs). The Qi standard is set by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), and any maker of a magnetic or multi-device wireless charger that claims Qi compatibility cannot avoid this patent web. Since 2020, Via Licensing Alliance (Via LA) has pooled global Qi SEPs into a single licensing program that now covers more than half of all Qi standard-essential patents—the only one-stop Qi licensing channel available today.
Q: What changed on this front in 2026?
A: The biggest shift is that Chinese manufacturers are finally sitting at the table. On August 1, 2026, Via LA updated its pool roster: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Communications joined as a licensor for the first time, contributing seven granted patents spanning China, the US, Japan, Korea and India. Together with ConvenientPower, which joined earlier, OPPO became one of only two Chinese licensors. In other words, Chinese companies are no longer just paying royalties—they are starting to collect them on their own R&D.
Q: Are the patent disputes actually going to court?
A: Yes, and more than one. On April 8, 2026, LG Electronics sued Anker Innovations at the Munich Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) over patent EP3972088, with per-unit rates in the $0.20–$0.85 range. Earlier, on February 11, Israeli firm Powermat sued Apple in the US, alleging five SEP infringements across MagSafe, iPhone and AirPods; Apple countersued in both the US and UK, asking courts to set a FRAND royalty. Phone brand Nothing claimed earlier this year that building magnetic charging would cost over $10 million in R&D—a figure the WPC publicly pushed back on, saying RAND licensing costs far less.
Q: What do these lawsuits have to do with the wireless charger I buy?
A: Closer than you would think. Patent royalties are a hidden cost on top of the bill of materials, and they eventually show up in the retail price. They also decide whether a maker can legally sell into Europe and the US. Anker being sued in the EU is a blunt lesson in patent compliance for Chinese consumer electronics: building the product is not the finish line. Labeling it Qi2 and passing certification still leaves the licensing fee to be settled.
Q: Are Chinese makers losing or winning this game?
A: The role is flipping. Where they once mostly paid, OPPO and ConvenientPower now sit on the licensor side, while Anker, Desay SV, Longcheer and others appear on the licensee list—so they both pay and collect. The bargaining power is rising, but the overseas-compliance gate still has to be cleared in-house. For factories doing design, customization, manufacturing and sales, choosing a mature in-pool solution such as a turnkey module avoids a large share of the patent landmines.
Q: How should an ordinary user read this patent war?
A: No need to panic—it will not cost your phone a single watt of charge. But it does explain why certified, name-brand pads carrying Qi2 or Qi2.2 marks are steadier and more confident selling globally: the patent moat sits on long-term investment in compatibility and safety. Next time you pick a wireless charger, looking for the certification mark and a legitimate channel matters more than chasing the highest watt number.
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