MagSafe killer Qi2’s magnetic attraction at CES: new tech chargers coming
Since the iPhone 12, wireless phone charging has become more efficient with Apple’s MagSafe technology.
Apple has led the industry with MagSafe offering up to 15W wireless charging, beating Samsung and other phone makers pegged back at 10W or 7.5W charging power.
Macworld’s recommended list of best MagSafe chargers will soon be joined by non-MagSafe, but equally fast-charging, Qi2 devices.
While each iPhone since the iPhone 12 has included the rings of magnets that ensure tight alignment of the charging coils between phone and charger, third-party chargers must have their devices fully certified by Apple to reach the magical 15W charging speed and the full MagSafe authorization.
Apple certification doesn’t come cheap so many magnetic wireless chargers are only “MagSafe compatible” rather than “MagSafe certified”, which limits their iPhone charging power to 7.5W.
The industry standard for wireless charging known as Qi, pronounced “chee”, launched way back in 2008, but was not supported by Apple until 2017’s iPhone 8.
The latest iteration, unsurprisingly called Qi2 (“chee too”), was announced in 2023 and will see products launching into the market this year.
The Qi2 standard bearers, including Belkin, Satechi, Hyper and Scorche, have been showing off new compliant chargers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.
Apple, which generously bestowed its MagSafe magnetic power profile technology to the Wireless Power Consortium (WPO), supports Qi2 with its iPhone 15 family, and has backdated support to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 with iOS 17.2
With Qi2 chargers will gain 15W performance without the need for Apple certification—they will still have to pass WPO standards. As a result, they should be less expensive to produce but just as fast as certified MagSafe chargers.
We have more details on Qi2 (properly Qi v2.0 MPP, for Magnetic Power Profile) in our explainer Is Qi2 better than MagSafe?
Belkin
Belkin Qi2 chargers announced at CES 2024
Early to the WPO partner list, Belkin unveiled the first of its Qi2 chargers at IFA 2023 last September.
The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Stand with Qi2 15W Pad, pictured above, can simultaneously charge three Apple devices, with Qi2 delivering 15W of fast wireless charging for iPhone, 5W for AirPods, and a fast-charging 5W module to wirelessly charge an Apple Watch. The Qi2 pad is adjustable for optimum viewing.
Available in either black or white, it is expected to go on sale in the US in March (May in the UK), costing US$149.99 / £139.99 / CA$179.99 / €149.99,
Belkin is also launching 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Wireless Charging Pads with Qi2 15W. The 3-in-1 ($129.99) includes a detachable fast-charging 5W Apple Watch dongle—the 2-in-1 Pad ($79.99/£69.99) retains the USB-C port that will support an extra device or 5W charging module. Each comes with a 30W power supply.
Each will be available in mid-January or early February in the US and late March or early April in the UK.
The phone-only BoostCharge Pro Convertible Magnetic Charging Stand—like the above Charging Pads it was first announced at IFA 2023—delivers 15W charging power to Qi2-enabled devices. It supports a 0-70° stand angle and 0°-75° charging pad angle. It folds up to make it travel friendly and allows users to switch between pad and stand modes.
Priced at $59.99/£39.99 it will be available to buy from early February in the US and early April in the UK.
Each of the Belkin Qi2 chargers is made from a minimum 72% eco-friendly post-consumer recycled materials and comes in 100% plastic-free packaging.
Belkin will also be selling a range of Qi2 BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Banks with kickstands, from 5000mAh battery capacity weighing 142g ($59.99 / £49.99), 8000mAh at 193g ($79.99 / £69.99) and 10000mAh at 224g ($99.99 / £89.99). The power banks can be charged via USB-C at the same time that they are wirelessly charging the device.
The Qi2 power banks will also be available in the US in March and June in the UK.
Hyper
Hyper Qi2 chargers announced at CES 2024
Hyper announced two Qi2 charging devices at CES.
Its Hyperjuice Qi2 4-in-1 Charging Stand, above, offers 15W iPhone charging, plus 5W AirPods and Apple Watch charging. A USB-C port is included for further 20W output charging. The central stand folds down for easy travel portability. The stand is powered by 45W input.
It is expected to be priced at $149.99 with a launch after April.
For truly portable Qi2 power, the Hyperjuice 10,000mAh Qi2 3-in-1 Power Bank can wirelessly charge a supported phone at 15W, and also features a 5W Apple Watch module as well as a 20W USB-C port. It includes a tripod socket giving creators long-lasting power as well as fast charging. It will cost $129.99 when it launches in the second quarter of the year.
Satechi
Satechi Qi2 chargers announced at CES 2024
Satechi announced two travel-friendly Qi2 chargers at CES.
The 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stands deliver 15W of power to compatible phones, plus 5W to AirPods and 5W to Apple Watch.
Each features an aluminum enclosure, vegan leather base, soft silicone charging puck, and durable hinges that Satech claims won’t weaken over time.
The 3-in-1 Charging Stand includes a 45W power adapter with two international travel adapters.
Both will be available in the second quarter, priced at $129.99 (3-in-1) and $79.99 (2-in-1).
IninaCore
InfinaCore Qi2 charger announced at CES 2024
InfinaCore’s Qi2 CES launch is the P3 Pro all-in-one wireless charger and power bank, which is an upgraded version of the brand’s popular P3 model.
The 10oz InfinaCore P3 Pro has the capacity to charge laptops (at 65W), phones, gaming devices, and accessories with two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, plus, of course, 15W Qi2 wireless charging integration.
The charger features a 10000mAh battery capacity that should allow for up to two phone recharges, and an animated advanced color LCD display that shows battery percentage and other metrics such as current output, time to full charge and temperature.
A retractable silicone finger loop makes it easy to hold it on the move, and will be available in a variety of colors.
It ships with US wall charger prongs, plus additional adaptor prongs for UK and EU outlets, and will cost $129.99 when it is available in mid-March.
Scosche
Scosche Qi2 chargers announced at CES 2024
At the 2024 CES, Scosche is demonstrating its forthcoming Qi2 certified chargers and charging phone mounts.
The BaseLynx 2.0 Modular Charging System features a Qi2 magnetic wireless charging stand that will simultaneously charge multiple Qi2-enabled phones, along with an AirPods Wireless Charging Case. It features four interchangeable, connectable modules: the Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand; a Multi-Device Vertical Charger with 60W of shared power (between three USB-C ports); an Apple Watch Magnetic Charger; and a Powered EndCap, with a 67W USB-C port and a 120V AC outlet.
Scosche already sells a white MagSafe version of the Base Lynx 2.0 system at Apple.com for $279.95. The fully configured Qi2 version is expected to cost $230—showing the cost benefits of Qi2 over Apple-certified MagSafe.
The company is also introducing its Qi2 certified phone mounts at CES, including the MagicMount Elite Charge 3-in-1 that offers three in-vehicle mount options: Dash, Locking Vent, and Back of Screen/Tablet. The mount head pivots and slides on an aluminum rail for precise placement.