Is Qi2 support surprisingly absent from Android phones?

The Qi2 standard was officially announced in early 2023. during CES. We even gave it an award as the spec looked to bring 15W wireless charging (and possibly more in future revisions), improved safety and the critical introduction of magnetic power profiles that make it easy to align and attach compatible charging pads. Essentially, Qi2 was set to bring the simplicity and ease of use iPhone owners enjoy with MagSafe products to the Android ecosystem.

(Photo by Sam Rutherford)

Apple has shared key parts of the MagSafe specification

Even more surprising is that, in a rare move for a company that likes to keep its technology neatly within the walls of its ecosystem, Apple has shared key parts of the MagSafe specification with other members of the Wireless Power Consortium (which is the governing body that oversees the Qi standards and Qi2) to speed development and interoperability. So you’d think that after seeing the convenience and popularity of MagSafe accessories among iPhone users, Android phone makers would rush 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 is 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 foresee this. Like Apple, virtually all major Android phone manufacturers are also members of the WPC, so 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 came out four years ago. So even assuming that the first time Samsung, Google, etc. were introduced to the idea of ​​a magnetic wireless charging system was during Apple’s fall 2020 keynote, you can imagine that’s still more than enough time to design such technology for use in today’s phones Galaxy and Pixel.

(Photo by Sam Rutherford)

The MagSafe magic did not work everywhere

For manufacturers, another concern when adopting a new standard is that there may not be enough accessories and other compatible peripherals on sale to make it worthwhile to implement new technology. We’ve seen this in the past with modular phones like the LG G5 and Moto Z Force line, and the LG G8’s funky palm-reading technology. However, since Qi2 and MagSafe gadgets are largely interchangeable, there’s already a huge market of options like Anker’s MagGo line of power banks, which are some of my favorite portable battery packs.

Another annoyance is that some phones like the Razr Plus and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will even magnetically stick to some Qi2 accessories and may even suck some juice. Unfortunately, this is more of a coincidence caused by the magnets used to keep the folds open or closed, rather than a case of intentional use. This means that although these devices may appear to support Qi2 at first glance, the accessories do not maintain a firm grip and often slip out even in seemingly ideal circumstances. Even cases that claim to add Qi2 support have been hit or miss, leading to a poor experience for Android phone owners hoping to recreate the MagSafe magic themselves. It’s a shame, really, 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 extra effort or cost.

(Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget)

Unfortunately, while many Chinese phone makers have avoided Qi2 until now, that’s to be expected, as manufacturers like Oppo often favor proprietary technologies like 65-watt AirVOOC wireless charging over the more widely available industry standard. And with the Galaxy S24 family coming out at the very beginning of 2024, Samsung didn’t have as much time to add Qi2 to its current flagship lineup as Google, which launched the Pixel 9 series just a few months ago. Regardless, that still doesn’t explain the general reluctance of OEMs to embrace what I believe is one of the most significant improvements in affordability and general usability you can add to a smartphone today.

But the most disappointing thing is that six months ago our friends in CNET I wondered why we haven’t seen Qi2 Android phones yet. And as we near the end of the year, there’s still only one model trying to spark hope that 2025 will be different. So kudos to HMD for doing what Samsung, Google, etc. couldn’t be bothered to understand. 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 flourish.