Here’s why Qi2 Android phones haven’t arrived yet, and why that might finally change

Over two years have passed since the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) unveiled Qi2, the magnetic wireless charging standard that promised to bring MagSafe-like functionality to Android devices. Like many others, I completely bought into the hype from day one — a universal standard that could solve overheating due to misaligned coils and maybe even unlock a new wave of cool accessories seemed tempting. But fast forward to today and Qi2 adoption has been underwhelming, to say the least.

So, what happened? Why hasn’t Qi2 taken off among phone manufacturers desperate to find any way to stand out from each other? It’s a combination of factors, but thankfully, we may not have to wait much longer.

If you’re reading this article, chances are that you’ve been awaiting the release of phones with Qi2 for about as long as us. But let’s be honest: you and I are the exception, and not the rule. The vast majority of smartphone users have no idea Qi2 exists yet — and even those that do might not have a compelling use case for it.

The biggest problem with Qi2 is that it’s currently limited to just 15W of charging power, which is no faster than the decade-old Qi wireless charging standard. So in the absence of faster charging, only the accessory angle remains. However, even MagSafe — the technology that Qi2 is largely based upon — hasn’t exactly taken off in that aspect. It’s undoubtedly handy for bedside charging and quickly detaching your phone from a magnetic car mount, but how often do most people go everywhere with an accessory still attached?

As someone who has traveled extensively across Asia, I’ve rarely seen a MagSafe accessory attached to an iPhone in the wild. Whether I was in Japan, China, or Malaysia, I never really saw anyone actually using a MagSafe wallet or power bank. Of course, that’s just my singular experience and doesn’t reflect the actual state of the market. But given that some of the biggest Android OEMs hail from that part of the world (hint: Samsung), I can see why they aren’t rushing to adopt Qi2 just yet.

That said, a potential lack of adoption hasn’t stopped phone makers from experimenting with new features in the past, so what’s keeping them away from Qi2 specifically? Surprisingly, Apple might be the reason yet again.

2. Qi2 and the illusion of control

Qi2 is what we call an open standard, in that it’s supposed to be usable by anyone. However, we know that Apple contributed heavily to the development of Qi2 to the point that most MagSafe accessories are actually cross-compatible. On the surface, that sounds like a big win for Android users as we get access to a MagSafe-esque experience without being locked into Apple’s walled garden. But dig a little deeper, and it starts to become clear that Apple’s work on Qi2 is less an act of charity and more about the company extending its influence.

Why would an Android manufacturer rush to adopt a standard that Apple essentially donated wholesale, especially when they have had little to no say in its development? And while Apple’s influence might not matter to the average consumer, it’s a big deal for companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google, who are used to controlling their own ecosystems. Adopting Qi2 in its current state could mean ceding control for no real benefits, since it currently isn’t a vast improvement over the previous version.

As I mentioned above, Qi2 mandates a wireless charging cap of just 15W, the same as the original Qi standard. That might have been acceptable a few years ago, but in 2025, it feels downright archaic. Companies like OnePlus and Xiaomi have long pushed 50W wireless charging. While these speeds require proprietary chargers, they still make Qi2’s 15W limit seem outdated.

Even Apple has already moved on: starting with the iPhone 16, MagSafe got a 10W boost, bringing its charging speed to 25W. So, while Android manufacturers are stuck with Qi2’s 15W cap, Apple is quietly improving its own proprietary solution. Could this have been a calculated move wherein Apple contributed a lesser version of its feature to Qi2, while leaving room for its own ecosystem to evolve at a faster pace? We’ll never know, but it surely hasn’t boosted Qi2’s chances of widespread adoption.

The third major reason why we haven’t seen any Qi2 adoption yet is quite straightforward — it’s not as simple as throwing a ring of magnets into an existing phone design. Smartphones are meticulously engineered, with designs often locked a couple of years in advance. Adding a magnetic ring to the back panel may seem simple, but it could still require significant internal changes.

Take the HMD Skyline, which is currently the only Android phone with a magnetic ring and, thus, full Qi2 support. It’s noticeably thicker than its peers, partly because of its repairable design but the magnetic ring likely played a part as well.

And it’s not just about physically adding the magnets to the device either. We experienced this first hand last year when certain third-party cases with magnets interfered with the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen. Many of the components inside your phone are sensitive to electromagnetic fields, and adding a magnetic accessory can disrupt them.

Thankfully, this is a temporary problem and we have already seen Samsung embrace semi-Qi2 compatibility via its Made for Galaxy program. However, the problem still persists – add a magnetic accessory to the back of the S25 Ultra and you can no longer use the S Pen reliably. Samsung’s phones still lack built-in magnets, likely because of these very engineering challenges.

Even if phone makers are reluctant to adopt Qi2 in its current state for all the reasons we’ve discussed, there’s some good news. Thanks to the growing list of third-party cases with magnets in them, no Android brand risks alienating their most loyal enthusiast audience.

The benefits of Qi2’s magnetic alignment and accessory support are already available for just about any Android phone. Here at Android Authority, we’ve recommended using cases with embedded MagSafe-esque magnets before Qi2 even existed. And if you don’t use a case with your phone, there’s always the option of stick-on magnetic ring adapters. It’s not a perfect solution, but it gets the job done with minimal effort.

That said, there’s a catch. Many phones have wireless charging coils that are slightly offset from where you’d expect them to be. Take my Pixel 8, for example. Several MagSafe cases position the magnetic ring around the Google logo, which seems logical but that’s only until you realize the phone’s charging coil is located much lower. This misalignment means you lose the primary benefit of magnetic coupling: efficient charging. Instead of perfect inductive alignment, you end up with eddy currents, which generate waste heat and can even contribute to battery degradation over time. It’s a frustrating trade-off, and I had to hunt down a case that aligned perfectly.

Thankfully, we’re starting to see some progress on this front. Samsung, for instance, has taken a proactive approach with its latest S25 series. Through its Made for Galaxy program, the company has prescribed the exact location of the charging coil, allowing partnering case makers like Spigen to position the magnetic ring for optimal alignment. This has led to some quirky accessory designs, such as Samsung’s own Qi2 wallet for the S25, which features a protruding ring to accommodate the S25’s camera bump, but I still think it’s still a step in the right direction. We’re seeing official support for magnetic alignment in a mainstream Android phone for the first time, and that’s a win for everyone.

If manufacturers seemed hesitant to adopt the original Qi2 standard, the tide might finally be turning with the upcoming Qi2.2 revision. Both Google and Samsung have confirmed that they’re actively contributing to this next iteration, and early signs suggest it could address one of the biggest criticisms of Qi2: its sluggish charging speeds.

Samsung’s semiconductor arm recently unveiled the S2MIW06, a new power management chip capable of delivering up to 50W of wireless charging power. This is a potential game changer, but keep in mind phone makers likely won’t adopt the chip’s full potential over safety and heat concerns. Still, Qi2.2 could offer charging speeds that rival or even surpass what some Android manufacturers are already achieving with their proprietary solutions.

Faster charging speeds alone won’t solve all of Qi2’s challenges. Nevertheless, it also offers Android brands an opportunity to address some of the other shortcomings of the original spec. For instance, seamless accessory integration via software has been sorely lacking on the Android side. While Apple’s official wallet accessory supports Find My and magnetic power banks show the charge level in software, none of that functionality exists for the Qi2 ecosystem yet. Samsung and Google could finally bring the kind of ecosystem support that makes MagSafe so compelling on the iPhone.

So while Qi2’s journey so far has been underwhelming, there’s reason to be hopeful. The standard is evolving, and with heavyweight brands now finally leading the charge, Qi2.2 could finally deliver on the promise we’ve been waiting for. In the meantime, we should let Qi2 serve as a reminder that even the most promising and exciting of technologies can become mired in years of delays when all the stars don’t perfectly align.