Getting caught with a dead smartphone could soon be a thing of the past as Swedish furniture maker Ikea will soon launch a line of desks, lamps and bedside tables that will wirelessly charge mobile devices.

Next month, Ikea says it will launch a line of furniture that comes embedded with Qi technology, the world's leading method for transferring electrical power without wires. More than 80 smartphones on the market today work with Qi technology, which allows users to charge their devices just by resting them on a Qi-enabled pad, with no need for wires.

Consumers have been able to buy their own wireless charging pads to charge their devices for several years, but Ikea's move marks the biggest one by a major retailer to embed the technology in people's lives. At the moment, there are only about 3,000 hotels, restaurants, airports and public locations worldwide, but 15 car models also come equipped with the technology.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ikea-to-sell-furniture-that-can-wirelessly-charge-mobile-devices-1.2978381