Hands-On with Wireless Charging Phones for Verizon

At home it's generally not a big deal. It is slightly more convenient, in that plugging in the cord and unplugging it does take time and - with some phones - some dexterity. If you can do it with one hand tied behind your back, as you said, I'm impressed; I can't.

Also consider that most people use their cell phone as their main phone, and do lots of other things on it, and want to use it as they walk around the house. Plugging it in when you get home, but then unplugging it to take a call, plugging it back in again... over time it can be a hassle.

And some people just don't like the "clutter" of cords. There's a booming market for charging stands/boxes that hide the chargers and cables, so clearly some people with carefully-decorated homes would rather not look at a loose cable on their nightstand.

Did you read the article to the end? I think the car example is pretty compelling. I don't like the idea of buying a separate car charger and having a loose cable in the car. Then there's a real clutter issue, which can actually be a safety issue. What if the cord gets wrapped around the shifter, or the brake pedal? Even ignoring that, it is a pain to plug and unplug the phone and find a place to set the phone. If there were just a place on the center console where I could set my phone, a magnet would hold it in place, and it would charge, that would be pretty great.

There are other scenarios. Starbucks might build it into their tables or bar countertops. Offices could build it into desks, etc. You can't really do that with a microUSB cable that's bound to break over time.