Android smartphones have been the first to introduce a number of notable standards. They were the first to support 4G, 5G, USB-C (back in 2015), and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. And when it comes to wireless charging, its lineage can be traced back to 2012’s Samsung Galaxy S3 (though the Palm Pre with webOS and its Touchstone charger are the true originals). Unfortunately, it feels like Android smartphone makers are sticking to outdated patch notes when it comes to adding support for the Qi2 wireless charging standard to their devices in 2024.
The Qi2 standard was officially announced during CES in early 2023. The spec emphasizes 15 watts of wireless charging (with the possibility of more in future revisions), improved safety, and the introduction of a magnetic power profile that makes it easier to align and attach compatible charging pads. That’s why we gave this product an award. In essence, Qi2 aims to bring the simplicity and ease of use that iPhone owners enjoy with MagSafe products to the Android ecosystem.
What’s even more surprising is that Apple has shared the core parts of the MagSafe specification with other members, an unusual move for a company that likes to keep its technology neatly siled within the walls of its ecosystem. wireless power consortium (The governing body that oversees the Qi and Qi2 standards) Accelerates development and interoperability. One would think that seeing the convenience and popularity of MagSafe accessories among iPhone users, Android smartphone manufacturers would have rushed to add Qi2 to as many devices as possible. But now, nearly two full years after the spec was finalized, HMD Skyline is now the only Android handset that supports Qi2.
At this point, you might say that the product development cycle is a multi-year process and difficult to change before launch. And in most cases, that’s probably correct. But to be honest, it’s not like Samsung, Google, Lenovo, and other companies didn’t see this coming. As with Apple, so do virtually all major Android smartphone manufacturers. WPC membersTherefore, they would have known about the development of Qi2 long before it was officially announced. On top of that, the first iPhone with MagSafe was the iPhone 12, which was released four years ago. So even if we assume Samsung, Google and others were first presented with the idea of a magnetic wireless charging system at Apple’s keynote in fall 2020, there’s still plenty of time for them to develop similar technology. You can imagine it. Available on current Galaxy and Pixel devices.
Another concern for manufacturers when adopting a new standard is that there may not be enough accessories or other compatible peripherals on sale to make the new technology worthwhile. We’ve seen this in the past with modular phones like the LG G5 and Moto Z Force series, as well as the LG G8’s funky palm reading technology. However, since Qi2 and MagSafe gadgets are mostly compatible, there’s already a huge market for options like Anker’s MagGo powerbank series, which are some of my current favorite portable battery packs.
Another complication is that some smartphones, such as the Razr Plus and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, stick together magnetically It may also affect some Qi2 accessories and suck up a small amount of juice. Unfortunately, this is more of a coincidence caused by the magnets used to keep the foldable open and closed than an intentional use case. This means that even though these devices may seemingly support Qi2, the accessories do not maintain a firm grip and often slip out even under seemingly ideal conditions. means. Even claims to add support for Qi2 are hit-or-miss and leave an unsatisfying experience for Android smartphone owners looking to recreate the magic of MagSafe for themselves. This really is because it feels like Google, Moto, and other companies could unlock Qi2 support on a wider range of devices with just a few small tweaks and no additional effort or cost. It’s a shame.
Unfortunately, many Chinese phone manufacturers have so far avoided Qi2, with some like Oppo preferring proprietary technologies such as 65-watt AirVOOC wireless charging over the more widely accessible industry standard. This is somewhat expected, as this is often the case. And with the Galaxy S24 family launching in early 2024, Samsung hasn’t had as much time to add Qi2 to its current flagship lineup as Google, which launched the Pixel 9 series just a few months ago. Either way, this is a sign of the general reluctance of OEMs to adopt what I would argue is one of the most meaningful upgrades to accessibility and general usability that can be added to smartphones today. It’s not meant to explain anything.
But the most frustrating thing was six months ago when a friend of ours CNET I thought about why we were doing this. Qi2 Android smartphones are not yet available. And even as the end of the year approaches, there’s still only one model trying to inspire hope that 2025 will be different. So kudos to HMD for doing what the likes of Samsung and Google have done. I couldn’t bring myself to understand it. My fear now is that if things don’t change next year, one of the most promising standards (at least for Android smartphones) could be left in the grave before it has a chance to succeed. is.
