Qi2 brings magnets to universal wireless charging
On January 05th 2023, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) introduced the world to Qi2 — a major update to the Qi wireless charging standard. A full decade has passed since wireless charging first began appearing on smartphones. With the new Qi2 standard, the WPC hopes to solve the technology’s biggest problems — from power efficiency to convenience — in one fell swoop. it should enable wireless charger to become faster and more efficient.
The Qi2 (pronounced chee-two) standard is set to replace the current Qi. The main difference is the new one is developed with a new Magnetic Power Profile, allowing devices to align to the charger perfectly, providing improved charging rates and lower losses.
Paul Struhsaker, executive director of the WPC, said consumers have concerns about which devices are Qi0 Certified and which are working with the Qi technology but do not have a certificate from the Consortium. The new standard should eliminate these issues, and Qi2 will be the global standard, providing interoperability.
Qi2 owes a lot of its existence to Apple. The company worked closely with the WPC to integrate the iPhone’s Magsafe technology into the new standard. This so-called “magnetic power profile” also opens the door to an entire future ecosystem of snap-on accessories. Of course, there’s a whole lot more to Qi2 than just that, so in this article, let’s go over all of the upgrades coming with Qi2 and when it might come to a smartphone near you.
Because of its improved efficiency and interoperability, Qi2 will enable faster charging for some devices, furthermore, it will pave the way for significant future increases in wireless charging speeds that are safe, and energy-efficient and won’t shorten battery life or damage a user’s phone.