The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has recently released the Qi 1.3 specification that requires authentication for improved safety when transmitting up to 15W of power between a transmitter and a receiver. To meet the requirements of the specification, Microchip Technology Inc. announced a new Qi® 1.3 wireless charging reference design providing developers of wireless charging systems for automotive and consumer applications with the necessary tools and support for the seamless integration and certification of new-generation product designs. For wireless charging system developers launching certified Qi 1.3 transmitters under tight timelines, Microchip’s three-coil Qi 1.3 reference design provides a head start for product development. The reference design fully integrates secure storage subsystem software with the wireless power microcontroller (MCU) and is a flexible solution, enabling custom topologies and foreign object detection (FOD) implementation. As a regular member in the WPC, which sets global standards for wireless charging of mobile devices, Microchip provided expertise during development of the recently released Qi 1.3 specification. Qi 1.3 is a significant update from Qi 1.2.4 and mandates hardware-based authentication between transmitter and receiving devices for power transfer above 5W. By adhering to the new authentication standard, designers can ensure phones receiving 15W are receiving it from a Qi-certified authenticated transmitter to ensure safety.