Qi2 Brings an Apple-Inspired "Magnetic Power Profile" Alignment System to Boost Wireless Charging
Built using technology based on MagSafe, Qi2 aims to improve alignment and boost charging speed — with new support for non-flat devices.
The Wireless Power Consortium has announced the next-generation Qi2 standard for wireless charging, and says it will be appearing in devices ready for the 2023 holiday season — delivering an improved experience through "Magnetic Power Profile" device-and-charger alignment.
"Energy efficiency and sustainability are on everyone’s minds these days," claims Paul Struhsaker, Wireless Power Consortium executive director. "Qi2's perfect alignment improves energy efficiency by reducing the energy loss that can happen when the phone or the charger is not aligned. Just as important, Qi2 will greatly reduce the landfill waste associated with wired charger replacement due to plugs breaking and the stress placed on cords from daily connecting and disconnecting."
The improved Qi2 standard, pronounced "Chee-Two," builds on the original Qi, an open standard released in 2008 and last updated in January 2021. Like the original, Qi2 charges devices based on electromagnetic induction between a Base Station and a Mobile Device — allowing compatible gadgets placed on a Qi2-enabled surface to harvest power without cables.
Where it improves on the original Qi standard is in alignment: Using technology originally developed by Apple for its MagSafe chargers, Qi2 offers "Magnetic Power Profile" — a system by which the Mobile Device is automatically aligned with the transmitting coils in the Base Station, reducing losses caused by misalignment.
The WPC claims that not only will Qi2 allow faster charging "for some devices," but that it will form the basis for a roadmap, which will see "significant future increases" in the speed of wireless charging — without harming energy efficiency or safety. The new standard will also allow for better charging of devices with curved and other non-planar surfaces, which could prove a boon for wearables and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets.
The Wireless Power Consortium showcased the new standard at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week, with the first consumer products boasting Qi2 certification expected to hit shelves in time for the 2023 holiday season. At the time of writing, the new standard had not been uploaded to the WPC website.