Qualcomm Announces New Quick Charge 3.0 Technology

Qualcomm recently introduced Quick Charge 3.0, which is basically the newest version of the chip maker’s rapid charging technology. According to the United States based tech company, mobile users around the world can start enjoying the many benefits of this innovative technology in their new mobile devices as soon as next year. 

One of the leading manufacturers of processors for mobile devices in the world right now, Qualcomm is certainly very excited about its latest breakthrough (among many others) in rapid charging technology. As explained by the company, Quick Charge 3.0 is the first of its kind to make use of Intelligent Negotiation for Optimum Voltage (INOV). This is a new algorithm designed by Qualcomm that is capable of ascertaining the optimum power levels for a charging device to release, essentially facilitating more power efficiency, and at the same time, minimizing any loss of power and eliminating any danger of overheating. With the use of INOV, Quick Charge 3.0 technology has the ability to charge a typical smartphone from 0 percent to 80 percent in about half an hour. Qualcomm’s new charging technology functions with new USB Type C cables, which have the ability to charge handsets faster due to a much higher power output.

We are now living in a world populated by people increasingly tied to their mobile devices in their daily lives, but for all the advances that smartphones and tablets have achieved in the last decade, progress in terms of improving battery life has been painfully slow. And it is not for lack of trying -- phone makers such as Apple and Samsung are continuing to explore new ways in which they can make longer lasting batteries, while other companies are trying to find a better way of charging our mobile devices. But in general, there has been little innovation.

Will Qualcomm’s new Quick Charge 3.0 technology turn the tide? It is hard to say at this point, but for certain, the company’s newest rapid charging technology is a step in the right direction. Apart from its rapid charging capabilities, Quick Charge 3.0 also aims for improving the battery cycle life, thereby allowing for a longer time before a mobile device’s battery will need replacing. 

The next question is: which devices can actually employ the Quick Charge 3.0 rapid charging technology? For now, Qualcomm is saying that this piece of tech will become an option for mobile devices that feature selected Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, which include the Snapdragon 820, the Snapdragon 620, the Snapdragon 618, the Snapdragon 617, and the Snapdragon 430 (here’s the full list). As mentioned earlier, Quick Charge 3.0 could start appearing in handsets set for release in 2016.