Samsung unveils world's first phone-charging monitor

Electronics giant Samsung has unveiled a PC monitor fitted with a wireless charging spot for mobile phones.

The SE370 monitor uses the wireless charging standard Qi, which is supported by the South Korean firm's flagship phones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.

The charging port is located on the base of the monitor stand, so users will simply have to place their device on the spot to begin charging.

Samsung claims the display, which supports the latest Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, is the world's first monitor with a wireless phone-charging port.

"Technology should support, not interfere with, active lifestyles. Our customers increasingly rely on mobile devices to obtain information and interact with others; so by doing away with the clutter on their desks, we are helping them to use their mobile devices in a smarter way," said Seok-gi Kim, senior vice president of Samsung's visual display business.

"Through the integration of wireless mobile charging technology, our innovative SE370 monitor dramatically improves efficiency, convenience and connectivity at home and at work – representing another significant milestone in our long history of industry-firsts."

Available in 23.6in (60cm) and 27in (69cm), the monitor comes with an eye-saver mode that reduces the harmful effects of blue light on viewers' eyes, thus allowing extended periods of screen use.

It is also equipped with a high-performance Plane-to-Line-Switching panel that provides users with a 178 degree wide-viewing angle, and boasts a 4ms response time that tracks fast on-screen action without motion blur or ghosting.

There are currently more than 750 Qi-compatible products on the market, according to the technology's backers the Wireless Power Consortium - a group of manufacturers that includes the likes of Microsoft, Blackberry and Toshiba.

Samsung did not reveal when the monitor will go on sale or how much it will cost.