Is Motorola gearing up to launch a self-charging smartphone? Maybe, but not the Motorola you are thinking of. Motorola Mobility (owned by Lenovo) and Motorola Solutions are two different companies. While Motorola Mobility makes smartphones and accessories, Motorola Solutions focuses on network solutions and equipment. And now reports suggest that Motorola Solutions has teamed up with Energous Corporation to make self-charging smartphones.
Energous attends Motorola’s internal event
Energous has developed a wire-free charging technology called WattUp that could revolutionize the way we charge our devices. Recently, Motorola Solutions held an internal event in Penang, Malaysia. Sources told Phandroid that, since it was an internal event, Motorola invited executives from only those companies it was working with. Energous attended the event where Motorola employees were informed of partner firms that were part of its newest products.
It doesn’t directly confirm that Motorola has teamed up with Energous for self-charging phones. However, it does suggest that the two companies are working on a particular project. Earlier this year, Energous showcased a working prototype of a smartphone case that could capture radio frequency and transform it in electric current to recharge the battery. The technology lets a hardware device harness electrical energy from radio waves.
Motorola hiring RF and battery technology engineers
There are more indications that the Schaumburg-based company is indeed working on such a charging technology. The number of job openings at Motorola for engineers specializing in battery technology and radio frequency has gone up. Energous recently announced that it had been granted six patents related to the utility and design of its self-charging solution.
WattUp offers over-the-air energy up to a distance of 15 feet. The energy could come from a beam-forming unit or a household item like television. The technology can be used in offices, homes and cars to charge your devices. You could install the beam-forming panel in your car and charge your phone without having to plug it in, or you could charge it by walking into a room with your device still in your pocket.
