One step closer to the universal wireless charger. At CES 2023, the Wireless Power Consortium — the organization responsible for standardizing wireless charging protocols — announced that the next Qi2 standard would incorporate Apple’s MagSafe technology.
MagSafe charging everywhere
Introduced at the same time as the iPhone 12 in 2020, MagSafe technology improved standard wireless charging systems by adding magnets to perfectly align the smartphone with the wireless charging roller. It is precisely this system of magnets that will be used in the next standardized wireless charging protocol, with Apple’s approval. “Apple, a member of the WPC, provided the platform for the new Qi2 standard based on its MagSafe technology. Apple and other WPC members have developed the Magnetic Power Profile which is at the heart of the Qi2 standard“, specifies the press release detailing the novelty.
Concretely, this means that Apple and other smartphone manufacturers will soon adopt the same wireless charging technology and that MagSafe compatible accessories can be used with Android phones. And while the first version of this new standard should be limited to a maximum of 15 watts, a WPC spokesperson assured The Verge that the future standard could evolve to offer higher charging powers in the future.
First compatible product towards the end of 2023
The fact that Apple opens one of its technologies to make it a standard is quite unusual. MagSafe technology, like the Lightning port, is currently subject to a strict licensing agreement. This allows Apple to ensure perfect compatibility between MagSafe accessories and the iPhone, and manufacturers to display a small “Certified” Apple button. But the “pirate” MagSafe accessories have nevertheless abounded, the use of a magnet not being a privilege reserved for Apple. Allowing the entire industry to adopt the same standard is probably a way for the manufacturer to ensure the good quality of the accessories on the market.
There are still many gray areas regarding this future Qi2 standard. While Samsung and Apple are committed to releasing compatible devices in the coming months/years (certified chargers are expected to arrive around the end of 2023), the magnet arrangement is not exactly the same as on current MagSafe technology. So we don’t know what will happen to MagSafe compatible phones (the iPhone 12, 13 and 14). Devices supporting the Qi2 standard may also require that the wireless charger they sit on is WPC certified. In this case, it would not be possible to use the first charger that came…