Wire-free zone: Ikea introduces range of induction-charging furniture

Sweden – Cables and chargers may become an endangered species with Ikea’s wireless furniture range.

Aimed at consumers who don’t want the home to be a minefield of cables, or who can’t rely on always having their charger with them, the new range merges induction-charging technology with typically minimalist design.

The range of lamps, bedside tables and desks features charging pads, developed using Qi technology, and marked by a subtle cross. All users have to do is rest their smartphone or tablet on the surface and watch as the battery bar changes from red to green.

‘We don’t want to go into electronics, we want to make the home smarter,’ says Ikea head of design Marcus Engman. The move is just one of the changes Engman is introducing as part of his attempt to ‘bring the surprise back’ to the brand.

The range is already compatible with new models by Google Nexus, HTC, Samsung and Nokia, and Ikea plans to release covers for the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy to make them work with Qi’s technology.

For more on how Ikea is bringing the surprise back, read our article on the homeware brand’s Sinnerlig collection with designer Ilse Crawford.