Earlier this year the organization behind the Qi wireless standard announced a major update called Qi2. Among other things, the new standard incorporates Apples MagSafe technology, which means two thing: Qi2 certified products should work with Apple phones, earbuds, and other mobile gadgets, and you’ll be able to get similar functionality on devices that aren’t made by Apple.
Now a handful of companies including Anker, Belkin, and Mophie have unveiled the first Qi2-compatible chargers, which means you should be able to buy one soon.
In a nutshell, the Q2 wireless charging standard includes a new “Magnetic Power Profile” that uses magnets to makes sure devices are lined up properly, enabling faster charging with up to 15 watts of wireless power delivery.
For Apple users, this could bring a much wider choice of charging accessories. While you could already use Qi chargers with some recent iPhone models, wireless charging topped out at 7.5 watts if you weren’t using a model that supported MagSafe… and up until recently that wasn’t something that third-party chargers supported.
While the first Qi2 chargers are coming soon, it’s worth keeping in mind that the Wireless Power Consortium hasn’t actually finalized the new standard yet. So it’s possible we could see more Qi2 products in the future (including non-Apple phones that support MagSafe-like technology), and it’s also possible that those products might be slightly different from the first charging accessories that have been unveiled this week.
Some of those new products include:
- Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3in-1 wireless charging pad – coming later this year
- Belkin BoostCharge Qi2 wireless Pad to Stand – coming in Q1, 2023
- 7 new Anker MagGo chargers including a 6,600 mAh power bank, 3-in-1 fast charger, and an 8-in-1 charging station
- Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Mini Stand with 5,000 mAh battery – coming this year for $70
- Mophie Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount – coming this year for $70
- Mophie Snap+ 3-in-1 Stand – coming Q1, 2024 for $130
Is the the title is written in abstract Chinese gibberish? Magsafe is for Steve Jarbs burn it with fireOS.. Meanwhile a usb cord is perfectly fit for charging. The only useful use for Magsafe is to attach a Magsafe wallet and not for stupid wireless charging.
Well, on the plus side, at least there’s now a considerably less ugly way of keeping your phone charged but accessible while it’s attached to your air vent. They just have to actually make some phones that conform to the standard that aren’t iPhones.
Trying to keep to the standard and meet the EU requirement for removable batteries is probably going to require battery packs that are removed from the bottom with basically the USB port assembly, so I guess we can say goodbye to video output unless the port is off to one side of the phone and the battery is off to the other. I mean, it’s not like you can’t stuff the NFC coil, and the charging coil, and the little steel disks, all into the back cover, I’d just expect to hear a lot of people complaining about how this easily replaced component breaks more than it used to and that’s why android is a terrible operating system used by big stupid doo-doo heads.
Incidentally, I wonder what would happen if you stuck I QI2 phone on a QI1 pad like the one in my car. Especially post removable battery mandate. Since if it’s a plastic back, and the little disks heat up too much, that could be a real problem.
But yeah, outside of that, It’s really more about the appearance of having the latest thing than the modicum of increased convenience. Makes you look less “trashy” to high society people who feel like everything is just fine in [insert your country here] and it’s only a tiny minority who are struggling to do as well as they are.