But as the market prepares for 5G to evolve our data connection, a chasm continues to grow between increased functionality of connected products, their power requirements and the choices product developers have at their disposal for power delivery. For all the benefits that 5G promises, an increase in expected speed could require more power than ever before. For example, a sensor reporting once a second would take more energy than a sensor reporting once every 30 seconds.
5G Forces A Choice: Mobility Or Functionality
Cellular connectivity often has a higher power draw than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Science says that 5G will only increase that device power draw in order to provide for the added speed and bandwidth. We’ve seen this power increase in the PC market for years: faster processors, or even higher clock rates of the same processors, means higher power consumption. But that also means consumers and OEMs will be forced to make an unsavory choice. They’ll either need more frequent device battery changes and charges in order to stay mobile or be stationary and wired into an outlet to use their new power-hungry 5G devices with full functionality (like streaming HD video).
A Few Approaches
Currently, it seems that manufacturers are preparing to address the power problem that 5G presents by outfitting devices such as phones, internet of things (IoT) sensors and security cameras with larger batteries but eliminating power-hungry features.
For example, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G-ready model appears to have a much higher power consumption rate than the 4G model (based on battery size and mAh per hour of usage time comparison). Many have questioned the power consumption efficiency of 5G versus 4G devices.
The truth is that this approach may not work long term. It will be a constant cat and mouse game between connectivity evolution from network providers and power and function capabilities from manufacturers. Moreover, this approach could stunt innovation -- because manufacturers are so concentrated on providing devices with adequate power consumption to keep pace with network operational speeds instead of developing cutting-edge features.
Short-range wireless charging, or "Qi" charging, is a current option for consumers trying to keep their 5G devices charged at all times. For example, WiTricity is a company that charges electric vehicles (EVs) over a distance and uses resonant magnetic charging. The idea is that the charger is embedded underneath the floor of your garage, so when the car is parked over it, it charges. The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) is working on short-range specifications for kitchen devices that could also be applicable. But the drawback to this technology is the incredibly short range -- which may not satisfy the mobility desires and lifestyle of many of today's consumers.
Another solution to these problems is embedding long-range wireless power with 5G wireless connectivity, something that my company (using infrared light), uBeam (using ultrasound), and Energous and Powercast (using radiofrequency transmitters) are employing. Long-range wireless power technology, which involves charging devices over the air, could give manufacturers the freedom to eliminate batteries and cut power cords. With wireless power technology embedded in 5G devices, batteries might never need to be replaced.
For example, with long-range wireless power embedded, augmented reality headsets would no longer be limited to only a few hours of battery life by heavy power consumption. It could also potentially reduce the weight of the headsets for added user dexterity. Wireless security cameras could stream limitless HD video, and industrial internet-connected devices would be able to transfer substantial amounts of data without being tethered down by power outlets.
But there are still technology challenges ahead for long-range wireless power for visionaries to solve. First, they'll need to address the availability of infrastructure. Today, everyone has access to a power outlet or a USB charger, but practically no one has access to a long-range wireless charger. Adoption and infrastructure installation will take time. The other drawback with current long-range power technology is efficiency. Even with today's cutting-edge engineering, my experience has been that wired charging is always more efficient than long-range wireless charging. But even if we don't solve this drawback in the future, some consumers may pick mobility and convenience over efficiency, while others may opt for efficiency. For example, many say wired internet is faster than wireless, but people generally prefer wireless.
In order for the next wave of 5G devices to come to fruition, power needs to evolve alongside network connectivity, not behind it.
