[Kosfactor]

While we are on this it would be interesting to see the Ad of 2012 Nokia Lumia 920.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzxILFbbglQ

Inductive charging is an old tech and very inefficient, a set of surface mount contact pins would enable faster and more efficient charging indeed but wont be universal in their compatibility due to phones coming in different shapes and sizes.

[Raghu M]

Voted a No. My phone anyway does not have a wireless charging feature. I did not even consider the Venue when the SA was trying to oversell it with only this feature. Wired charging is faster and does not drain battery while using Android Auto. Features like air purifier, wireless charging and additional DRLs hardly add any utility to a car. Just fancy list of features to make is easily sell.

[iamitp]

Voted for Wired Charging. My Creta 2020 has wireless charging but no wireless AA so I'll need to use the cable anyway. Even if I did get wireless AA (via the Indiegogo dongle), I might still stick to wired - it's faster (via car's USB) and much much faster (via 12V fast chargers). The only scenario I'd use wireless charging is probably when I'm driving very short distances. However, the Crest 2020 is short on cubby holes for change, tissues, etc. so I'd hate to give up that wireless charging pad area too.

[Zinda]

I find the feature useful (if not necessary), specially when you carry 2 smartphones of different makes.

I have been using this wireless charging accessory in my XUV500 for more than an year now.
Observations -
Takes almost 2 hours to fully charge my Samsung Note 9
Has motion sensing claw - move your hand and claw opens, place your phone within, and the claw holds the device
I have mounted it from the windshield, instead of attaching to the AC vent
Super lightweight

(image from Amazon)

[manku]

Like others have mentioned, for me wireless carplay/AA is the more important feature and unfortunately a lot of car makers bundle the two together.

[vredesbyrd]

Voted for wired. My car doesn't have wireless charging and I don't see the need either. I doubt that I can add much to the discussion besides my opinion.

I don't trust wireless, there, I said it. It is slow and unreliable. I have android auto and even if it were wireless, I'd prefer sticking a cable because more reliable device connection and way better audio quality, especially when using a good music player like PowerAmp. Bluetooth was released in 1989 and it is still junk. Plus, as GTO mentioned, the phone doesn't fly around and hit people in the face when cornering hard.

AndroidAuto/Apple Carplay is a godsend

[alchex7]

I am unable to vote (not sure why), but I would vote for Wireless charging. Very recently, when I was looking for a new car, I really wished to choose a car with AA wireless and wireless charging, but there weren't many good options. Looking at the past few years, about how charging and other tech have evolved, I am pretty sure, in a few years, we would have an iPhone without any ports, and then the Android manufacturers would follow suit (just like the 3.5mm jack). Wireless AA, and charging have downsides but I already see technology being developed to overcome the limitations
1. The latest Oneplus phones have 50W wireless charging.
2. Mi has a charging pad that charges phones without needing to orient the phones in an exact manner.
There are a few advantages of AA wireless as well. My AA (wired) disconnects and reconnects when my car goes over speed bumps. I have also seen other team-bhp members face similar issues. AA wireless would not have such problems.

[RMN]

I dont agree to this. I use wireless charging a lot at home & work and wish my car had wireless charging. Wireless charging has its own benefits and most of the problems GTO mentioned in the original post are either to do with the way certain manufacturer implemented it or cable charging has similar disadvantages.

[Mountainman21]

Wireless charging all the way for me. I have been using this at home for more than 4 years and implementation of wireless charger in Seltos is really good (phone will not fly away even in hard cornering situation and has a cooling vent to keep it ready for use as soon as I pick it up).

There are many types of wireless chargers as well (Fast, slow, with grip, auto cut etc.) and i find them really convenient. Rather so convenient I did not even use the fast charger that came with iphone 11 pro for almost a year.

I think one key reason I have found it to be more convenient is because I do not use Car play and AA that often. Bluetooth is more than sufficient to play music from phone to car and siri (via watch) helps to do everything else.

I am realizing while writing this is that i am more tech savvy than I thought I was.

[amitayu]

Voted Wired Charging for many of the reasons cited here.

However, I am really keen for wireless Android Auto, as plugging in for AA keeps charging the battery and I am really worried about frying my phone batteries, especially in long drives when I may use AA for navigation.

So, wired charging when required, and optional wireless AA is my ideal choice.

On a related topic of clutter, I bough shorter USB cables, like the ones we use for powerbanks, to reduce the wire clutter. I was initially having issues with the USB cable playing foul with the gearshifts.

[Pancham]

One thing we are forgetting here is that we can lose or forget to carry a wire when travelling and that is when wireless charging comes in handy.

How many times have you left your house with 5-10% charge only to realise it once you start and then realising again that you forgot to carry a cable. Happened with me yesterday.

Agreed, wireless charging is slow. But it as an added benefit not mutually exclusive. So you have the option of both if you have wireless charging in your car. But not the other way round.

[abhijet.sen]

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

I don't trust wireless, there, I said it. It is slow and unreliable.

Sorry but one may think anything but reality is Wireless is improving in terms of charging and it is no longer slow or unreliable. Oneplus/Xiaomi has launched phone supporting 50W wireless charging. iPhone/Samsung etc (most models) don't even support this high wired charging. It is matter of time, when mainstream phone manufacturers will start copying these features.

In general, no one imagined land lines will get replaced by mobile. Similarly, having Wi-Fi at high speed across home or office was once un-thinkable as well.

Benefits of wireless charging is specially apparent if phone's ]charging port is damaged. Similarly, one is not bothered that kids will accidentally pull up wire and break charger cable or damage phone.

I do see wired will remain mainstream for next 3-5 years. But given most have started removing chargers along with phone, it will slowly get replaced by wireless charges.

[manishk123]

I think the poll results are not a fair representation simply because most people still do not have phones capable of wireless charging, hence they are selecting the wired option.

What’s more, a person with a wireless charging capable phone always has a choice of using a wired connection too as every car comes with USB ports now.

Wireless charging although slower, offers a great deal of convenience in the sense you can just pick up your phone whenever you want to, instead of dealing with messy cables.

[astrodex]

I prefer the concept of wireless charging rather than wired. Actually, my ideal scenario is to have the phone put into a slot/space and have it completely integrated with the ICE, which is what the wireless Android/iPhone is moving towards. Don't even have me use my phone screen then. Sure, we have hiccups now but you can see it implemented better in the premium cars.

I remember lots of complaints about the keyless entry + start/stop (where you keep the key in pocket) being called a gimmick, and the pains of it not detecting all the time. But now, after having used it for so long, I really miss it in cars where I have to press the remote button and insert a key. I expect wireless charging and wireless connections to go the same way. Eventually it will mature enough (both phone and charger) that it is the right thing to do, in spite of the problems with growing pains.

[IMP]

Wireless charging is slow, also as the temperature goes up it slows down even further. Positioning of the phone with the wireless charging coils also makes a huge difference to the heat generated and the overall efficiency. I prefer it for overnight charging, as it usually takes 3-4 hours to fully charge a phone. I have charging pads at my bedside and on my desk where I'll be keeping the phone away for longer periods.

In the car with navigation running or with android auto/ carplay running, the phone usually gets hot already. Now when you add wireless charging to the mix, I wont be surprised when some phones start to drop charge even when placed on wireless charging depending on the phone, its alignment over the charging pad and the ambient temperature.

Its useless for passengers as one cannot use the phone while it is charging. Its a funny situation where the car has wireless charging but wired android auto or carplay.

My choice would be magnetic connectors. I have the LG G8x which comes with a magnetic type c adapter with the dual screen accessory. I find it the most convenient, and it has replaced the wireless charging pad at my desk. Its as fast as any type c charger, plus it is compact, you can just hover the phone charging port 1-2 cm over the cable and the magnets are strong enough to latch on the phone, no need to even look at it. Attaching the type C cable us usually a two handed task, not in this case. And the best part is I can still use the phone while it is charging.

Seek to 3:20 in the video to see what I'm explaining.

https://youtu.be/q2CdBFA98SI?t=201

I think it will take somebody like apple to start a new trend with its magsafe connectors on an iPhone.