Most top smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds are compatible with wireless charging and use the Qi standard to allow functionality. The Qi standard was introduced in 2008, and the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) announced a successor called Qi2 to address minor issues with existing charging tech.
Qi2 (pronounced ‘chee two’) introduces a Magnetic Power Profile that aligns devices properly on the charging pad. It’s similar to the iPhone’s MagSafe. Apple worked with the WPC to integrate its MagSafe technology into the new standard. Qi2 also brings better power efficiency and faster charging speeds. This guide covers what Qi2 wireless charging is, how it works, and how it compares to the existing standard.
A bit about Qi2 wireless charging and how it works
Source: Wireless Power Consortium
Qi2 is the first major update to the leading wireless charging standard in over a decade. It replaces the Qi wireless charging standard and brings improvements that make wireless charging faster and easier.
Right now, some devices support the Qi standard while others don’t. Those that do may not charge as fast as they could. With Qi2, WPC wants to unify the industry under one global standard, getting rid of confusion and simplifying the category for consumers and retailers.
Qi2 brings consumer clarity and solves one of the biggest challenges with wireless charging: alignment. Wireless charging works best when the transmitter (the charger) and the receiver (the phone or accessory) are perfectly aligned. For instance, if your phone receives several notifications during vibrate mode, it may lose the alignment to the wireless charger and stop charging.
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Apple managed to get around this problem on its products with its MagSafe technology, which uses magnets to ensure perfect alignment. Android devices have not had this luxury and have relied on charging pads with multiple coils to make alignment easier.
Enter Qi2, which brings essentially the same wireless charging technology to Android devices and non-Apple accessories. It features a magnetic power profile, which is based on Apple’s MagSafe technology. The magnets ensure the coils in the charger and phone are perfectly aligned, which results in a consistent charge and reduces the chances of your phone getting knocked off the charger.
Why is Qi2 wireless charging better than Qi?
The magnet power profile makes Qi2 wireless charging convenient and consistent, but there’s more to it. The new wireless charging standard is better than the existing Qi charging standard. Below are the key improvements.
Qi2 is less destructive to your phone
Qi wireless charging leads to imperfect alignment between the charging pad and your device, resulting in energy loss. This lost energy is converted into heat, damaging your device’s battery over time. Qi2 uses magnets to ensure precise alignment between the charging pad and your device. This reduces energy wastage, making the charging process efficient. It also helps maintain the long-term health of your device’s battery.
It brings faster charging
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Less energy loss means more of it is used to juice up your smartphone’s battery. Paul Golden, marketing director for WPC, confirmed that although Qi2 will initially support charging speeds of up to 15W, the same as Qi, the consortium will begin working on a higher wattage, faster-charging version of the spec after the standard is finalized.
While Qi2 wireless charging is expected to be faster than Qi, it won’t be the fastest tech. Chinese OEMs have been pushing charging speeds to the limit with their proprietary charging solutions. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra supports up to 50W wireless charging.
Qi2 will lead to a new range of Snap-on accessories
MagSafe made it possible for various accessories to be created for iPhones. The magnetic attachment point is designed to work with stands and kickstands, wallets, power banks, car mounts, and more. Qi2 could make these accessories available for Android devices and lead to a bigger magnetized smartphone accessory craze than MagSafe created.
It is also future-proof
The current Qi wireless charging standard requires the charger and the device to be placed perfectly on top of each other, which can be difficult with non-flat devices like AR/VR headsets. Qi2 with a magnetic power profile makes it easier to charge non-flat devices, bringing wireless charging to gadgets of the future. Qi2 will initially target phones and wireless earbuds (via Android Authority). But it is designed to be backward compatible with Qi, so any Qi-compatible device will also be Qi2-compatible.
When will Qi2 Android phones and accessories arrive?
Qi2 wireless charging was unveiled earlier this year, but IFA 2023 was when Qi2-activated products started appearing. Anker took the stage at the Berlin-based event to showcase its Qi2-certified products, and Belkin and Mophie followed suit.
Anker launched its new Qi2-based MagGo series, which features power banks, wireless chargers, and charging stations that charge at 15W speed. Belkin announced three charging pads, including a three-in-one station for two devices and an Apple Watch. Mophie also joined in with its Qi2-verified charging stands and car mounts. These accessories are designed for iPhones, but future Qi2-certified Android phones may support them.
WPC wrote on its website that the first Qi2-activated Android phones were expected to reach the market in the fourth quarter of 2023. However, the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S24 series skipped adding the Qi2 support. The recently introduced OnePlus 12 series also doesn’t support Qi2 standards.
The Qi2 standard was finalized last year, and manufacturers may not have enough time to implement it on their flagship devices. Pixel 9 will likely be the first mainstream smartphone to receive the Qi2 support.
Does an older Android phone work with a Qi2 wireless charger?
Qi2 wireless chargers are backward compatible and work perfectly fine with your existing Android phones. However, you can’t take advantage of the faster charging speeds of the Qi2 standards. So, if you are in the market for a wireless charger, get one with a Qi2 standard.
Understand the latest wireless charging tech in town
Looking at Qi2’s advantages, we can’t wait to see Android smartphones hitting the market with the latest charging standards. It ensures better compatibility with accessories, alignment, and faster charging speeds without compromising efficiency. Apart from a Qi2 charger, check our dedicated post to extend battery life on your Samsung phone and other devices.
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