Sony to introduce fast wireless charging in 2014

Samsung isn't the only smartphone manufacturer looking to shake up wireless charging, as Sony is rumored to be working on technology capable of charging its Xperia handsets fast wirelessly.

Sony, together with electronics supplier Rohm Co., has developed wireless charging technology using between 10 and 15 watts and supplies twice the energy of earlier wireless chargers. The end result, it's said, is double the charging speed, meaning a smartphone can be fully charged, wirelessly, in just one hour.

Earlier this week, a separate report revealed that Samsung is also eyeing improvements for wireless charging for inclusion in next year's Galaxy S5 smartphone.

Samsung's technology would allow handsets to be charged from a distance by using magnetic resonance, even when the source charger isn't actually making contact with the device. Wow! This looks interesting.

Commercialization of the new tech is expected to begin in the second half of 2014, meaning we could see it in Sony smartphones and other devices before the end of next year.