While we wait for batteries that have double the normal capacity and charge five times as fast, the FCC has just approved a product that delivers the next step in wireless charging.

The WattUp Mid Field transmitter, developed by San Jose startup Energous, is a power-at-a-distance wireless system that can charge devices up to around 3 feet away. This would be a significant improvement over the wireless smartphone chargers currently available, which require that the handset is in direct contact with the unit — typically a circular pad — making them only slightly more convenient than a wired charger.

The WattUp Mid Field transmitter, which Energous announced had received FCC approval yesterday (via Engadget), is said to be the first commercial wireless charging unit to work at this distance with multiple wireless devices simultaneously: from smartphones to keyboards, headphones and more.