It is finally a safe weekend to buy a Qi2 wireless charger, here is what to look for
Enzo Reno ·
Shoppers looking to upgrade chargers this weekend can finally treat Qi2 as the default choice. Certified Qi2 pads and stands are now broadly available in the United States and Europe, and iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15 support 15 watt charging on Qi2 hardware after Apple enabled it with iOS 17.2 in December 2023, according to Apple’s release notes.
The Wireless Power Consortium said at CES 2024 that more than 100 Qi2 products had completed or entered certification, signaling real scale after a year of rollouts. Qi2 integrates magnetic alignment similar to Apple’s MagSafe, which reduces misalignment and charging slowdowns, and it avoids Apple’s Made for iPhone licensing tax on accessories.
What changed and who supports it
Qi2 is a standards body effort led by the Wireless Power Consortium, which built the Magnetic Power Profile with input from Apple. That is why iPhones can now charge at 15 watts on third party Qi2 pads without a MagSafe license, a change that meaningfully expands choice and price competition.
Android support varies by model. Many recent Android devices charge on Qi2 pads at standard Qi power levels, but higher wattage and magnetic attachment depend on each phone’s hardware. Buyers should check the WPC database for device and charger certification status before assuming fast rates.
How to buy this weekend
Look for the official Qi2 Certified logo on both the charger and the box, and confirm 15 watt support in the specifications. Avoid labels that only say compatible with MagSafe without a Qi2 certification mark, since those products often fall back to slower 7.5 watt rates on iPhone.
Reputable options include Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro stands and pads that were announced at CES 2024, Anker’s MagGo Qi2 line that arrived in late 2023, and Eero’s and Ugreen’s desk stands that list Qi2 certification in WPC records. Multi device docks should list per device output, for example 15 watts for phone, 5 watts for earbuds, and 3 watts for smartwatch, since total wattage claims can obscure individual limits.
Regulators also pushed the market toward interoperability. The European Commission’s common charger rules, finalized in 2022 under the Radio Equipment Directive, drove Apple to adopt USB C on iPhone 15 in 2023, which aligned cable ecosystems and increased accessory competition. The broader trend is clear, consumers benefit when open standards replace brand specific hardware locks.