Your next iPhone or Android device could support even faster wireless charging

All devices from smartphones to smartwatches need to be charged, and some charge faster than others. When it comes to wired charging, there are some phones that are light years ahead of others, with devices like the Realme GT3 offering up to 240W.

Wireless charging is the same, though the speeds are slower, of course. You'll find up to 50W on phones like the OnePlus 13. For Apple and Samsung however, wireless charging has topped out at around 15W, unless you have a compatible iPhone and use MagSafe charging where you then get 25W.

It's all about to get better on the wireless charging front, however. A faster Qi2 wireless charging standard has been known to be coming for a while, typically called Qi2.2, but the Wireless Power Consortium has now announced its official launch and its official name.

As reported by The Verge, the Qi2 wireless charging will be called Qi2 25W and its said the first devices are already certified, while "several hundred" are coming.

What does Qi2 25W mean for you?

According to The Verge's report, the WPC has confirmed iPhones will support Qi2 25W, though it hasn't detailed which models. It's also said "major Android smartphones will join the Qi2 ecosystem for the first time with this launch", though again, specific models haven't been detailed.

With the current iPhone 16 models offering 25W charging over MagSafe, it is possible those models could be updated to support the new Qi2 25W. A Belkin blog claims they will with the rollout of iOS 26, which just launched as a public beta this week. We'd also hope the upcoming iPhone 17 models would support the new standard.

As for Android, only the HMD Skyline fully supported Qi2, with devices like the new the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 being both "Qi2 Ready" but requiring a separate magnetic Qi2 case to take advantage of the faster speeds.

It's therefore big news that the WPC is saying major Android brands will support the new standard and hopefully it won't be too long before we hear about the full list of phones that will feature Qi2 25W.

For now, Fady Mishriki, chair of the WPC’s board of directors said: “Consumers will be delighted when they experience Qi2 25W as it delivers nearly 70 per cent more power than the original Qi2. The number of devices in the Qi2 25W certification queue for launch is unprecedented, as is the quality and breadth of our members’ product designs.”