IKEA

IKEA, the world's largest furniture maker, said on Sunday that it would begin selling tables, work desks, nightstands and other pieces of furniture capable of wirelessly charging your smartphone when placed in contact. The new line of furniture will hit stores on April 15 in North America and Europe, with plans to expand to other regions.

It's a rare move forward in technology for IKEA, known best for its massive showroom stores, affordable assemble-it-yourself furniture and its Swedish meatballs. For consumers with compatible smartphones and cases, it's an added convenience and extra incentive to go with IKEA.

"We're making life easier, more convenient," said Bjorn Block, a range manager of the business area lighting division at IKEA

It's an even bigger deal for the Wireless Power Consortium, which gains a powerful ally with IKEA embracing its Qi technology. The WPC is seen as the party left out of the mix when the other two major groups in wireless charging, the Alliance for Wireless Power, backed by Samsung and Qualcomm, agreed to merge with the Power Matters Alliance, championed by Duracell Powermat.