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Wireless charging is one of those features that is a must for some Android users. Being able to set your phone down without making sure it’s plugged in at night may not seem game-changing, but Apple’s implementation of Qi wireless charging for its suite of new smartphones and accessories certainly is. You can also bet that a whole host of Android manufacturers that never offered Qi wireless charging will do so with their next generation of phones.
Most major Android flagship phones from 2017 support Qi wireless charging including:
- Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8
- LG G6
- LG V30
But a vast majority of devices don’t include support at all. Some are even high profile devices that are supposed to be the best Android has to offer. None of the following devices released in the last two years included Qi wireless charging support:
- Nexus 6P
- Pixel
- Pixel XL
- HTC U11
- OnePlus 5
With Apple now supporting the standard, its considerable 16.9% market share will go a long way to making wireless charging a must have feature and the dominant standard in the industry versus competing standards like PMA (which the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 both support).
It’s no surprise that wireless charging is Apple’s new focus after receiving a lot of flak from customers who are loyal to the 3.5mm headphone jack. That slot is now freed up for wired headphones. Apple wants to change the way we interact with our wirelessly charged devices by providing a standard interface for viewing all the devices you have charging. They briefly revealed a new wireless charging mat dubbed AirPower that can charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch all at once.
If I can be honest for a second, that’s my dream as an Android user with multiple devices. While Apple users will likely pay a premium for the new AirPower mat that’s set to debut in 2018 (Apple hasn’t announced the price yet), I hope that Apple’s considerable market influence will inspire more developers to create seamless integration for wireless charging accessories in the future.
That could become a very real possibility as Apple has announced that it’s working with the Wireless Power Consortium to integrate its technology into the overall Qi standard. So while current Qi wireless charging devices won’t have the seamless interface for charging that was displayed during today’s iPhone X unveiling, I’m hopeful for the future. For now, Android users with Qi-compatible phones can get wireless charging accessories for as low as $15 on Amazon.
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