Google could bring Qi2 charging this year to beat Galaxy S26

The Qi2 wireless charging standard was announced a couple of years ago, Samsung and most other Android smartphone brands haven't fully adopted it yet. But that could change later this year, as Google is reportedly bringing the feature with the Pixel 10 lineup. Samsung could wait until the launch of the Galaxy S26 series early next year.

According to a report from Android Headlines, the Pixel 10 series will feature Qi2 wireless charging for 15W charging speeds. That is an improvement over Pixel 9's 12W wireless charging based on the Qi standard.

While the Pixel 9 series supports 21W wireless charging, it is only possible with the Pixel Stand accessory, which uses a custom wireless charging. When you use a standard Qi wireless charger, Pixel 9 devices are capped at 12W.

In comparison, all recent Samsung phones with Qi wireless charging support speeds of up to 15W. However, only the Galaxy S25 series supports Qi2 Ready charging, which allows it to be aligned properly using magnets inside compatible Qi2 Ready cases.

Qi2 and Qi2 Ready are not the same. The Qi2 standard requires the device itself to have built-in alignment magnets, while the Qi2 Ready certification is offered to devices that don't have built-in alignment magnets but can charge at 15W. Qi2 Ready devices need additional accessories (like cases) for magnetic alignment.

Tipster @PandaFlashPro claims that Samsung has developed a new S Pen technology that doesn't interfere with Qi2 magnets and that technology is ready for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, you should take this information with a pinch of salt, as the tipster has a shaky track record.

The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), which oversees the development of the Qi wireless charging standard, announced earlier this year that Samsung devices with Qi2 charging will be launched in 2025. However, the Galaxy S25 series only came with a Qi2 Ready certification. Even the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will only feature Qi2 Ready certification.

Samsung's System LSI has developed a chip that offers up to 50W wireless charging. Both Google and Samsung are helping develop the Qi 2.2 standard that not only includes alignment magnets but also increases the charging speeds. So, it is possible that Samsung will bring faster charging speeds and built-in alignment magnets with the Galaxy S26 early next year.