The Samsung Galaxy Ring helps Qi2 charging, however there’s a catch

We’re nearly two thirds of the way in which by way of 2024, and but there’s solely a single Android gadget that helps Qi2. Qi2, in the event you haven’t heard, is an evolution of the Qi wi-fi charging customary developed by the Wi-fi Energy Consortium (WPC). The Qi2 customary was introduced again in January 2023 and launched in April 2023, however quick ahead to at present, and not one of the main Android manufacturers have launched a Qi2-certified cellular gadget.

Or so we thought, till we realized that the Samsung Galaxy Ring is Qi2 licensed. The Galaxy Ring just isn’t solely Samsung’s first sensible ring product but in addition its first cellular gadget with Qi2 certification. We already knew from the launch occasion that the Galaxy Ring’s case will be wirelessly charged utilizing Qi wi-fi charging, however we didn’t know till lately that the case is definitely Qi2 licensed. We realized this due to Samsung’s certification submitting with the WPC, as proven under (H/T George Economo).

As you may see, the Samsung Galaxy Ring helps specification model 2.0.0 of the Qi wi-fi charging customary. In different phrases, it’s Qi2 licensed and helps Qi2 charging. Different Qi2-certified merchandise within the WPC database embody the HMD Skyline, which is notably the primary Android telephone to obtain Qi2 certification, and each iPhone because the iPhone 12.

The iPhone 12 supporting Qi2 charging isn’t stunning, as a result of though it was launched in late 2021, Apple performed a giant function within the improvement of the Qi2 customary. The truth is, it’s the rationale the brand new customary even exists within the first place, because the Qi2 customary’s spotlight function relies on Apple’s MagSafe expertise.

Should you’ve heard of Qi2 earlier than, you then’ve most likely heard it described as “MagSafe however for Android.” That’s a principally correct description of Qi2 because the new customary is finest recognized for introducing the Magnetic Energy Profile (MPP), which makes use of magnets to align the wi-fi charging receiver and transmitter. Through the use of magnets to align the charging coils completely, Qi2 improves vitality effectivity by decreasing the vitality loss that might in any other case occur when the coils aren’t aligned. The magnets may also be used to connect different equipment, making Qi2 assist helpful for extra than simply charging. It’s why MagSafe adapters for Android telephones have exploded in reputation in recent times.

It’s additionally why techies are looking out for Android and Android-adjacent merchandise that assist Qi2 charging and why there was a lot disappointment after we realized in regards to the Pixel 9’s wi-fi charging capabilities. So after we had been despatched a tip that the Samsung Galaxy Ring is Qi2 licensed, we had been naturally actually excited by the invention. Sadly, our pleasure shortly pale as soon as we tried to connect the Galaxy Ring’s charging case to numerous MagSafe and Qi2 chargers; the case simply wouldn’t magnetically snap onto these chargers, suggesting it doesn’t have any magnets within the first place.

That revelation got here as a shock to many people because the Qi2 customary has been closely marketed for its magnetic charging capabilities. Nonetheless, we’ve since realized that the Qi2 charging customary doesn’t, the truth is, mandate magnetic charging assist. The truth is, the Qi2 customary really consists of two profiles: the brand new Magnetic Energy Profile I beforehand talked about in addition to an “enhancement to the present wi-fi charging Prolonged Energy Profile (EPP) that doesn’t embody magnets however complies with the Qi v2.0 customary.”

Based on a WPC press launch from November of final 12 months, Qi2-certified merchandise that don’t assist magnetic charging will likely be “branded with the present Qi brand shoppers know and use at present.” The WPC’s present branding pointers reveal that solely Qi2-licensed merchandise with MPP assist can have the brand new Qi2 brand featured on the packaging, whereas Qi2-licensed merchandise with out MPP assist can not use the brand new brand.

Certainly, the Qi2 brand is nowhere to be discovered on the Galaxy Ring’s packaging. By digging deeper into the WPC’s database, we are able to see that the Galaxy Ring solely helps the Baseline Energy Profile (BPP) of the Qi2 customary. That implies that, whereas the Galaxy Ring does technically assist Qi2 charging, it doesn’t assist essentially the most helpful side of the brand new customary: magnetic charging. Hopefully, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 collection will assist Qi2 magnetic charging, because it’s disappointing that there’s nonetheless just one Android telephone on the market that truly helps the brand new customary.