With the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X setting wireless charging as a standard feature, Apple—long considered the industry leader—is propelling wireless charging into a new era of smartphone innovation. This development is expected to spark a significant boom in the wireless charging market. As a result, the first beneficiaries will likely be the manufacturers within the wireless charging supply chain.
Recently, some investors raised questions on the interactive platform about Lixun, asking whether the company had received an order from Apple for wireless charging. Analysts speculated that the market size for this order could have reached $500 million in 2019. However, the company did not directly confirm or deny the report. Instead, Lixun Precision stated that it has the capability to provide a wide range of wireless charging solutions for consumer electronics. The company also emphasized its commitment to transparency, respecting investor rights and business contracts. It mentioned that it has been fulfilling its disclosure obligations in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and there is no undisclosed information.
Beyond Apple, other major brands are also stepping into the wireless charging space. For example, in November last year, Gionee launched the Gionee M7 Plus, a high-end business phone equipped with a 10W wireless fast charging function. According to recent reports, several domestic smartphone manufacturers are expected to integrate wireless charging into their high-end models this year, including Xiaomi 7 and OPPO’s next-generation devices.
On December 29th, Shanghai Longqi Technology Co., Ltd. disclosed on its official WeChat account that the wireless charging module for Xiaomi 7 was already in trial production, with full stock expected before the Spring Festival. The module is reportedly being supplied by Apple's wireless charging partners. Xiaomi officially joined the WPC Wireless Charging Alliance, and its upcoming wireless charging device will use IDT’s Rx (receiving) solution. Based on past trends, Xiaomi 7 is expected to launch in March or April.
According to data from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), over 325 million wireless charging products were expected to be launched in 2017, including around 300 million smartphones and 75 million other devices. The number of wireless charging terminals and transmitters is growing rapidly, with projections suggesting that wireless charging terminals could reach 1 billion by 2020 and 2 billion by 2025. Transmitter terminals are expected to hit a market scale of around 500 million by 2021.
This booming market has attracted numerous players across the industry. The wireless charging supply chain can be divided into two main parts: receiving and transmitting. On the receiving side, the upstream and downstream segments include chips, magnetic materials, transmission coils, module manufacturing, and system integration. On the transmitting side, it involves chips, coil modules, and solution design.
The receiver chip and system integration stages are highly technical and profitable, accounting for about 30% of the profits in the wireless charging industry. These components are primarily used in mobile devices. The current situation mirrors what happened with fingerprint recognition three years ago. International brands like IDT have extensive experience in shipping to Apple, while companies such as Broadcom have also been customized for Apple. Other major players like TI and Qualcomm have struggled to enter the market. In contrast, many domestic startups and listed companies that have mastered advanced technologies have already positioned themselves in the market. Some branded phones now use domestic chips for wireless charging, such as the G7 model.
In the transmitter chip segment, competition is intense, but different levels of players exist. Top-tier manufacturers like Mophie, Belkin, and Zebao focus on fixed-frequency, FOD foreign object detection, and fast-charge performance. International brands like NXP and IDT, along with a few domestic chipmakers, dominate the high-end market. However, foreign chips face challenges due to high costs, giving domestic manufacturers a larger market share. Despite this, the market remains highly competitive.
The growth of the wireless charging market presents significant opportunities for both upstream and downstream companies, not just in smartphones but also in smart homes and automotive sectors. Third-party wireless charging providers also stand to benefit, as they offer compatible chargers that work across multiple brands. However, the industry is still in its early stages, and with so many products on the market, only those offering high-quality solutions will succeed.
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