Google says the Pixel 9 series ‘supports’ Qi2 charging, but with one big drawback (Developing)
What are a few magnets between friends?
JoriPress
- Even without a magnetic ring, Google says the Pixel 9 still works with Qi2 wireless charging.
- The Qi2 standard does not technically mandate support for the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP).
- Pixel 9 owners can use a magnetic charger by outfitting their phone with a compatible case.
Wireless charging has been around for years now, and it only keeps getting better. While early day were plagued by slow charging speeds and poor charger alignment, things have come a long way since then, and modern standards like Qi2 are robust enough to compete with wired solutions. We’ve been excited to see phones start embracing wireless charging advancements, so we were a little disappointed when it looked like the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 didn’t support Qi2. As it turns out, that may not be quite the case, and it all stems from some common misunderstanding about what Qi2 really is.
Apple fans have been enjoying the luxury of magnetically aligned wireless charging since the iPhone 12, and with MagSafe working as well as it does, it’s little surprise that the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) developed Qi2 to replicate a lot of that functionality. Now, Qi2 is a whole lot more than just a magnetic ring, and the protocol includes upgrades like adaptive charging that actively communicates between device and charger. But it feels like everyone (ourselves included) got the impression that magnetic connectivity was a baked-in, core component of Qi2. Turns out: not so much.
