Android phones were the first to feature a number of notable standards. They were the first to support 4G, 5G, USB-C (no less than 2015) and In-screen fingerprint sensors. And when it comes to wireless charging, you can trace that lineage all the way back Samsung Galaxy S3 from 2012 (although webOS-powered Palm Pre and it is Touchstone charger is the real OG). Unfortunately, when it came to adding support for the Qi2 wireless charging standard to devices in 2024, it felt like Android phone makers were stuck with outdated patch notes.
The Qi2 standard was officially announced Early 2023 during CES. We even gave it an awardas the specification aimed to enable 15-watt wireless charging (and potentially more in future revisions), improved security and, most importantly, the introduction of magnetic power profiles that make aligning and attaching compatible charging pads a breeze. Essentially, Qi2 was intended to bring the simplicity and ease of use that iPhone owners enjoy with MagSafe products to the Android ecosystem.
Even more surprising is that, in a rare move for a company that likes to isolate its technology within the walls of its ecosystem, Apple has shared core parts of the MagSafe specification with other members Wireless Power Consortium (the governing body that oversees the Qi and Qi2 standards) to accelerate development and interoperability. So one might assume 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 spec was finalized, the total number of Android phones that support Qi2 stands at 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’re probably right. But let’s be honest, it’s not like Samsung, Google, Lenovo and others didn’t foresee this. Like Apple, practically all major manufacturers of Android cell phones are too Members of the WPCSo you would have known about the development of Qi2 long before the official announcement. In addition, the first iPhone was with MagSafe iPhone 12which came out four years ago. Even if we assume that the idea of a magnetic wireless charging system was first presented to Samsung, Google and others during Apple’s fall 2020 keynote, one can imagine that that’s still more than enough time to create a similar one Technology to develop use on today’s Galaxy and Pixel phones.
Another concern for manufacturers when introducing a new standard is that there may not be enough accessories and other compatible peripherals on offer to make implementing new technologies worthwhile. We’ve seen this in the past with modular phones like this LG G5 And Moto Z Force Line and the crazy hand reading technology on the LG G8. However, because Qi2 and MagSafe gadgets are largely interchangeablethere is already a huge market of options like Anker’s MagGo line of power banks, which are currently one of my favorite portable battery packs.
Another annoyance is that some phones like this Razr Plus And Pixel 9 Pro Fold even will stick magnetically to some Qi2 accessories and may even suck up a tiny bit of juice. Unfortunately, this is more of an accident caused by the magnets used to hold foldable devices open or closed, rather than an intended use case. This means that although these devices may appear at first glance to support Qi2, even under seemingly ideal circumstances the accessory does not maintain a firm grip and often slips off. Even cases that claim to offer Qi2 support are hit-or-miss, making for a poor experience for Android phone owners hoping to recreate the magic of MagSafe on their own. That’s a real shame, because it almost feels like Google, Moto, and others could, with a few small tweaks, unlock Qi2 support on a wider range of devices without much additional effort or cost.
Unfortunately, many Chinese phone makers have avoided Qi2 so far, but that’s kind of to be expected since manufacturers like Oppo often favor proprietary technologies like his 65-watt AirVOOC wireless Charging instead of a more widely accessible industry standard. And with the Galaxy S24 family launching right at the start of 2024, Samsung hasn’t had quite as much time to add Qi2 to its current flagship lineup as Google, which launched the Pixel 9 series just a few months ago brought to market. Regardless, this still doesn’t explain OEMs’ general reluctance to adopt what I believe is one of the most significant improvements in accessibility and overall usability you can add to a smartphone today.
But the most frustrating thing is that six months ago our friends at CNET wondered why we did that There are no Qi2 Android phones to be seen yet. And as we approach the end of the year, there is still just a single model that wants to offer hope that 2025 will be different. So kudos to HMD for what Samsung, Google and others have done. I didn’t feel like finding out. Now I’m just worried 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 ever gets a chance to succeed.
