MagSafe might just be for iPhone only, but Qi2 will work with a whole lot more. And it’ll even work with a selection of iPhones, as well.
The magic of magnetically-connected wireless charging feels like magic because it just works, snapping a phone into place and holding it there while a device charges almost by magic. It’s a cool technology, and one iPhone users have been able to experience since the iPhone 12 range first rolled out MagSafe back in 2020.
If you’re an owner of any of these ranges — iPhone 12 or 12 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, or even iPhone 15 — you’ll be able to snap your phone to a magnetic ring, holding the phone in place while it charges. It certainly feels like magic, that’s for sure, and something that still excites some people.
But Android users aren’t so lucky.
While Android phones have supported standard Qi wireless charging for several years, using a magnet to hold the phone into place and optimise the wireless power flow isn’t something they can easily do. You can find MagSafe compatible cases for some devices, including Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, but it’s not something built into the design.
Fortunately, that looks set to be changing, and this year’s drop of iPhone owners will get to enjoy some of the tech, as well.
This week, the Wireless Power Consortium behind the upcoming Qi2 standard has announced that the first Qi2 chargers will be available by the holiday season, coming from the typical players including Belkin, Anker, and Mophie, among others, and they’ll work with more than just Android’s upcoming slate of Qi2 gear.
Officially, the technoloy will also work with the Apple iPhone 15 range, with the Qi2 standard covering two profiles, one of which is based on the MagSafe technology Apple designed.
That means if you own an iPhone 15, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or 15 Plus, you’ll be able use either a Qi2 charger or one with MagSafe, and if you have a phone next year that supports Qi2, that same new Qi2 stand will also be compatible, too.
The Wireless Power Consortium does note that over 100 devices are in testing with the tech, so plenty are on the way, which essentially means more wireless magnetic magic for everyone, not just iPhone owners.
