Google Pixel 5: how does it have wireless charging despite its aluminum back?

By Iskra Petrova

Published: Oct 01, 2020, 3:30 AM

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Google Pixel 5: how does it have wireless charging despite its aluminum back?

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Google just revealed, after a lot of leaks and hype, this year’s flagship Pixel, the Pixel 5, alongside the Pixel 4a 5G. The Pixel 5 seems quite interesting, with some new camera features and an attractive price of $699, but the phone’s back is not made of plastic or glass… it’s aluminum and still has wireless charging. How does this actually work?

Google Pixel 5

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Metal blocks wireless charging signals

As we all know, for years smartphone manufacturers were forced to use polycarbonate or glass for the back of their phones because of the wireless charging feature. The wireless charging signals can’t penetrate through metal. Well, Google has found a workaround, reports Android Authority.

Technically, aluminum is used for the Pixel 5, but apparently, there is another layer of a material that sits directly on top. Google calls this material "bio-resin", which is basically a super-thin plastic material. The aluminum underneath helps give the Pixel 5 a sturdy and premium structure. Additionally, this design allowed the tech giant to cut a hole in the smartphone’s aluminum chassis and install there the wireless charging coil. Google additionally says that you won’t be able to feel the coil since the plastic material sitting on top of it is very sturdy, despite being super thin.

Maintaining Pixel thinness with bigger battery size

This year, the Pixel 5 comes with a big 4,080mAh battery cell, mitigating last years' Pixel 4 battery life situation. Google says that it went for this aluminum-superthin plastic design to maintain the desired Pixel thinness of the smartphone, despite the bigger battery. At the same time, the company was therefore capable of making the Pixel 5 feel premium and sturdy, something harder to achieve with just a plastic build.

Google Pixel 5

View price Buy at Amazon $599 ⁹⁹ Buy at BestBuy

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Iskra Petrova is a news writer at PhoneArena, where she covers mobile tech news and maintains the site’s device hubs with the latest leaked specs, rumors, and official details for upcoming phones. She joined PhoneArena in 2020 after three years in technical support for Microsoft Exchange, giving her practical experience with software infrastructure and troubleshooting. Iskra holds a Master’s Degree in Literature, which helps her translate complex tech details into clear, reader-friendly coverage. She is a daily Apple ecosystem user, while also closely following Sony Xperia’s camera-focused phones and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.

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