Android phones were the first to implement many notable standards. They were the first to support 4G, 5G, USB-C (back in 2015, no less) and In-screen fingerprint sensors. And when it comes to wireless charging, you can trace that line all the way back to Samsung Galaxy S3 since 2012 (although the webOS version Palm Pre and him Touchstone Charger this is a real OG). Unfortunately, when it comes to adding support for the Qi2 wireless charging standard to devices in 2024, it appears that Android phone makers are stuck with outdated update notes.
The Qi2 standard was officially announced in early 2023 during CES. We even gave it rewardas the specification called for 15W wireless charging (and possibly more in future versions), increased security and, crucially, the introduction of magnetic power profiles that make it easier to align and attach compatible chargers. Essentially, Qi2 was designed to bring the simplicity and ease of use of MagSafe products to iPhone owners into the Android ecosystem.
What's even more surprising is that Apple has shared key parts of the MagSafe specification with others in the ecosystem, a rare move for a company that likes to keep its technology neatly kept within the walls of its ecosystem. Wireless Energy Consortium (which is the governing body overseeing the Qi and Qi2 standards) to speed up 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 years after the specification was completed, the total number of Android phones supporting Qi2 is one: HMD Skyline.
At this point, you might say that product development cycles are multi-year processes that are difficult to change before launch. And most of the time, you'll probably be right. But let's be honest: Samsung, Google, Lenovo and others didn't see this coming. Like Apple, almost all major Android phone manufacturers also members of the military industrial complexso the development of Qi2 would have been known long before the official announcement. In addition, the first iPhone with MagSafe was iPhone 12released four years ago. So even if we assume that Samsung, Google, and others first pitched the idea of a magnetic wireless charging system during Apple's fall 2020 keynote, we can assume that this is more than enough time to develop similar technology for use on modern Galaxy and Pixel phones.
For manufacturers, another challenge in adopting a new standard is that there may not be enough accessories and other compatible peripherals on sale to justify implementing the new technology. We've seen this in the past with modular phones like LG G5 And Moto Z Force line and fancy palm reading technology on LG G8. However, since Qi2 and MagSafe gadgets largely interchangeableThere is already a huge market for options such as Anker MagGo line power banks, which are some of my favorite portable power banks right now.
Another annoyance is that some phones like Razr Plus And Pixel 9 Pro Foldable even stick magnetically to some Qi2 accessories and can even suck up some juice. Unfortunately, this is more of a coincidence caused by the magnets that help keep foldable devices open or closed rather than an intentional use case. This means that while these devices may appear to support Qi2 at first glance, the accessories don't hold securely and often slip off even in ideal circumstances. Even cases that claim to add Qi2 support fall short, resulting in a bad experience for Android phone owners hoping to recreate the MagSafe magic themselves. This is really a shame because it 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 cost.
Unfortunately, while many Chinese phone makers have avoided Qi2 so far, this is to be expected since manufacturers like Oppo often favor proprietary technologies like its 65W AirVOOC wireless. charging instead of the more widely available industry standard. And with the Galaxy S24 family launching at the very beginning of 2024, Samsung hasn't had as much time to add Qi2 to its current flagship lineup like Google, which released the Pixel 9 series just a few months ago. However, this still doesn't explain the general reluctance of OEMs to embrace what I believe are some of the most significant accessibility and overall usability improvements you can add to a smartphone today.
But the most offensive thing is that six months ago our friends from www.vrenture.com/ wondered why we had haven't seen Qi2 Android phones yet. And as we approach the end of the year, there's still just one model trying to spark hope that 2025 will be different. So kudos to HMD for what Samsung, Google and others have done. didn't bother to figure it out. Now I'm just worried that if nothing changes next year, one of the most promising standards may end up in the graveyard (at least for Android phones), never getting a chance to thrive.