The new Qi2 wireless charging standard borrows heavily from Apple's MagSafe, bringing magnetic charging to Android in 2023.
The Qi wireless charging standard has been around for many a year at this point and has given us interoperable chargers and devices. But it's time for something new, with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) confirming that Qi2 (pronounced 'chee two') will be based on the MagSafe wireless charger from Apple.
The announcement means that MagSafe's characteristics will soon be available on an Android phone near you, with the WPC saying that it expects phones and accessories to take advantage of the new standard by the end of this year.
Apple's MagSafe was introduced alongside the iPhone 12 and allows for 15W wireless charging. It also packs magnets that hold the wireless charger and iPhone in place, ensuring that they remain aligned during charging. That's an added feature that traditional Qi chargers don't offer, and one that Qi2 is wise to incorporate.
Standard Qi chargers have long had two main issues - placing the phone in the right spot for proper charging is a pain, and vibrating alerts can mean the phone soon becomes misaligned. Magnetic connections like MagSafe prevent that from happening, something the WPC points to in its press release. 'Qi2's perfect alignment improves energy efficiency by reducing the energy loss that can happen when the phone or the charger is not aligned," says Paul Struhsaker, executive director of the WPC.
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