Qi2 finally comes to Android with the repairable HMD Skyline

Summary

• Finally, Android devices are catching up to Apple with Qi2 wireless charging and integrated magnets for better functionality.
• With the HMD Skyline, users can enjoy 15W wireless charging, magnetic alignment, and potential future upgrades for improved efficiency.
• The midrange-priced HMD Skyline is set to hit the market soon, offering repairability and the convenience of Qi2 charging for Android users.

If you like wireless charging, you probably love it, which is why fans have clamored for all the best devices to support it. But the Android market’s been somewhat stuck on the basic Qi standard for years, as its big competitors from Apple have featured integrated magnets and 15W wireless refueling for years.

All that’s finally changing with the release of the HMD Skyline (via Android Authority). HMD, now also the maker of Nokia phones, has focused on practicality ever since its recent resurgence, and its introduction of the first Qi2-capable Android device marks one such real-world effort. And it won’t be available to only the richest, most demanding consumers, thanks to a midrange price and eventual US release (unlike a certain other Skyline, which never made it out of Japan).

Why we’ve been so excited about Qi2

It improves upon the original Qi protocol in multiple ways

The most obvious enhancement is the jump from 5W to 15W. To be clear, some manufacturers have enabled up to 15W wireless charging in their smartphones, but that’s never been a requirement to meet the Qi standard. Now that Qi2 devices are rolling in, you can count on both the chargers and devices to support the comparatively high 15W rate.

Possibly more important, though, are the integrated magnets essentially indistinguishable from what Apple’s MagSafe has used for years. A magnet built into your Android smartphone adds the possibility of various accessories, with advanced Qi2 chargers and magnetic car phone mounts, in particular, showing a lot of promise.

But the magnets aren’t just there to preclude the need for a reliable MagSafe adapter. Integrated, precision-aligned magnets ensure your phone’s placed perfectly on the charging coil every time, which eliminates the worry of current cutting in and out, and delivers better efficiency in general. Higher efficiency can lead to less waste heat, which reduces the harm wireless charging does to a battery.

As if all this good news wasn’t enough, Qi2 also stands to potentially future-proof Android phones for even further improved wireless charging. The magnetic alignment, enhanced power profile, and upgraded device-charger communication lay the groundwork for the expected future Qi upgrades to 20W and 30W.

When will the HMD Skyline come to the US?

Not just yet, but soon — although it’s not certain exactly when

Competent midrange hardware and a focus on repairability — including replacement parts, repair toolkits, and easy-to-read guides — make the Skyline an interesting prospect. Already available for purchase in the UK, it will clearly come to the US market, despite not yet receiving an official launch date.

Rumor has it we’ll see it Stateside in August for $499. We’ll likely hear more in the coming days, but until then, a live (but sold out) page on HMD’s website coupled with already listed repair kits at iFixit mean we only have to wait a little longer for officially certified, magnetically secured Qi2 charging to come to the most popular operating system in the world.