New Qi2 wireless charging standard unveiled, based on Apple's MagSafe

Somebody check up hell has frozen, because iPhones are getting USB-C ports while Android is officially getting MagSafe... sort of!

"Consumers and retailers have been telling us they’re confused concerning what devices are Qi Certified and those that claim to work with Qi but are not Qi Certified. This confusion can lead to a poor user experience and even safety issues," announced Paul Struhsaker, executive director of the Wireless Power Consortium, in a press release. “Our standard assures consumers that their devices are safe, efficient, and interoperable with other brands. Qi2 will be the global standard for wireless charging and provide consumers and retailers with that assurance.”

The first iteration of the Qi inductive wireless standard was introduced back in 2008, and after a brief scuffle with Power Matter Alliance's competing PMA standard, became the de facto go-to standard for wireless charging as it garnered better industry and consumer support, but probably the most important reason was Apple joining the WPC and backing up the Qi standard. The main differences with PMA were the wavelength that were utilized for the inductive charging (100-205kHz for Qi, 277-357kHz for PMA), otherwise the two solutions were pretty much similar in how they function. 

This also potentially opens the possibilities for case and accessory makers to develop an interoperable range of magnetic accessories that will effortlessly latch to the back of the phones, similarly to the diverse MagSafe accessory ecosystem. Holder rings, small wallets and powerbanks, kickstands, and many other types of accessories might get to see the light of day with the advent of Qi2 on Android devices.