Qi2 Wireless Charging Explained: The Complete 2025 Guide
▼ Summary
– Qi2 is the next-generation wireless charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium, offering improved alignment and faster speeds through its Magnetic Power Profile based on Apple’s MagSafe technology.
– Despite being announced in early 2023, Qi2 adoption has been slow with only one certified Android phone in 2024 and Samsung’s 2025 Galaxy series launching as “Qi2 Ready” rather than fully certified.
– The Qi2 standard requires magnets for perfect alignment and faster charging, while non-magnetic devices using the Extended Power Profile cannot be labeled as Qi2 devices.
– Samsung’s Qi2-Ready phones require additional magnetic cases to achieve full Qi2 functionality, combining with certified cases to enable enhanced charging speeds and compatibility.
– Recent developments include the introduction of Qi2 25-watt accessories in mid-2025, though no phones yet support this higher power level.
It’s ironic, but we’ve long been fans of wireless charging here at WIRED. Not having to fumble with cables is a genuine convenience, and most modern wireless charging devices follow the Qi standard, pronounced “chee”, which has gradually become widespread, though not without some early hiccups in user experience. The Wireless Power Consortium, which oversees the protocol, introduced the next-generation version called Qi2 in early 2023. This new standard promises perfect alignment through magnetic assistance and has the potential to bridge the gap between Android and iPhone accessories.
Unfortunately, Qi2 adoption has been slower than anticipated. While every iPhone from the 12 series onward now supports Qi2, only one Qi2-certified Android phone, the HMD Skyline, was released in 2024, and it disappointingly failed to work with some older Qi chargers. The situation hasn’t improved much in 2025; Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series launched as “Qi2 Ready” rather than fully certified. Although Qi2 25-watt accessories are beginning to appear, there are still no phones that support this higher wattage. So what’s holding Qi2 back?
Qi2 represents an open wireless charging standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium, offering significant improvements over the original Qi technology. If you’ve ever used wireless charging, chances are it was based on the Qi standard. The most notable upgrade is the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), which draws inspiration from Apple’s MagSafe. Apple played a role in developing Qi2, and this magnetic feature ensures perfect alignment with compatible chargers, enabling faster and more efficient power transfer.
There’s also the Extended Power Profile (EPP), a non-magnetic wireless charging standard. According to the WPC’s Paul Golden, devices compliant with EPP are not officially Qi2-certified and cannot use the Qi2 logo. Instead, they carry the standard Qi logo and must clearly state in marketing materials that they do not include magnets. Any product labeled as Qi2 must incorporate magnets and adhere to the MPP specification.
Further complicating matters is Samsung’s “Qi2-Ready” Galaxy S25 series. Models like the S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge, as well as the Z Fold7 and Flip7, support Qi wireless charging out of the box but lack built-in magnets. Users can add magnetic functionality by purchasing Qi2-Ready cases from Samsung or third-party manufacturers. When paired with a certified Qi2-Ready case, these phones effectively function as Qi2 devices, offering enhanced charging speeds and compatibility with Qi2 power banks and chargers.
(Source: Wired)
