Android phones were the first to offer a number of notable standards. They were the first to support 4G, 5G, USB-C (in 2015 no less), and in-display fingerprint sensors. And when it comes to wireless charging, you can trace that lineage back to 2012’s Samsung Galaxy S3 (although the webOS-powered Palm Pre and its Touchstone charger are the real OG). Unfortunately, when it came to adding support for the Qi2 wireless charging standard to devices in 2024, it looks like Android phone makers are stuck on outdated patch notes.
The Qi2 standard was officially announced in early 2023 during CES. We even gave it an award, as the spec aimed to bring 15 watts of wireless charging (and perhaps more in future revisions), improved security, and, most importantly, the introduction of magnetic power profiles that make it easier aligning and securing compatible magazines. Essentially, Qi2 was intended to bring to the Android ecosystem the simplicity and ease of use that iPhone owners enjoy with MagSafe products.
What’s even more surprising is that, in a rare move for a company that likes to keep its technology carefully siled within the walls of its ecosystem, Apple has shared essential parts of the MagSafe specification with others members of the ecosystem. Wireless Power Consortium (which is the governing body that oversees the Qi and Qi2 standards) to accelerate development and interoperability. So you’d think that after seeing the convenience and popularity of MagSafe accessories among iPhone users, Android phone makers would have rushed to add Qi2 to as many devices as possible. But almost two full years after the specification was finalized, the total of Android handsets with Qi2 support comes down to one: the HMD Skyline.
At this point, you might say that product development cycles are multi-year processes that are difficult to change before launch. And in most cases, you’d probably be right. But let’s be honest, it’s not like Samsung, Google, Lenovo and others didn’t see this coming. Like Apple, so are virtually all major Android phone manufacturers. WPC membersthey would therefore have been aware of the development of Qi2 well before its official announcement. Additionally, the first iPhone with MagSafe was the iPhone 12, released four years ago. So even if we assume that the first time Samsung, Google and others came up with the idea of a magnetic wireless charging system was during Apple’s fall 2020 keynote, we One might imagine that there is still more than enough time to design similar technology for use on today’s Galaxy and Pixel handsets.
For manufacturers, another concern when adopting a new standard is that there may not be enough compatible accessories and other peripherals on sale for implementing a new technology worth it. We’ve seen this in the past with modular phones like the LG G5 and Moto Z Force lines and the LG G8’s awesome palm reading technology. However, because Qi2 and MagSafe gadgets are largely interchangeable, there’s already a huge market for options like Anker’s MagGo line of power banks, which are some of my favorite portable power banks right now.
Another downside is that some phones like the Razr Plus and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will even do this. stick magnetically to certain Qi2 accessories and can even suck up a tiny bit of juice. Unfortunately, this is more of a coincidence caused by the magnets used to hold the foldables open or closed, rather than a case of intentional use. This means that even though these devices appear at first glance to support Qi2, the accessories don’t maintain a firm grip and often slip out even in what seem like ideal circumstances. Even cases that claim to add support for Qi2 are hit or miss, resulting in a poor experience for Android phone owners hoping to recreate the magic of MagSafe themselves. This is a real shame, because it almost feels like with a few small tweaks, Google, Moto and others could unlock Qi2 support on a wider range of devices without much effort or hassle. additional costs.
Unfortunately, while many Chinese phone makers have avoided Qi2 so far, that’s to be expected, as makers like Oppo often favor proprietary technologies like 65-watt AirVOOC wireless charging instead of a more widely accessible industrial standard. And since the Galaxy S24 family was released at the very beginning of 2024, Samsung hasn’t had as much time to add Qi2 to its current flagship lineup as Google, which launched the Pixel 9 series only a few months ago. Regardless, it still doesn’t explain the general reluctance of OEMs to adopt what I consider to be one of the most significant accessibility and general usability improvements you can add to a smartphone Today.
But the most frustrating thing is that six months ago, our friends from CNET I thought about why we had haven’t seen Android Qi2 phones yet. And as we approach the end of the year, there is still only one model that attempts to offer hope that 2025 will be different. So kudos to HMD for doing what Samsung, Google et al. I didn’t bother to understand it. Now I just worry that if things don’t change next year, one of the most promising standards could end up in the graveyard (at least for Android phones) before it has a chance to thrive.
