Originally Posted by
AnalogMan
Wireless charging is inefficient, it is a relative small amount. We are talking about maximum of 10 watts for a few hours (Qi standard turns charging off once at 100% and then periodically top off) at the most. That is less power than most light bulbs (even CFL or LEDs, which are ~13 watts for a 60-watt equivalent). Leaving a light on uses more energy than charging the phone. Keeping a Li-Ion battery topped off also prolongs longevity.
My iPhone 5 uses exactly 5.8-6.0W (measured at the wall outlet) during the main charging phase (until about 80%, then it drops down for battery conditioning). If it takes another 10W to accomplish the same, that's 267% more power. I think most people would consider that significant. And my LED bulbs only pull 7W.
Also, my iPhone can go from 1% to 100% in about 80 minutes. With wireless, that will almost always be longer due to loss.