WPC Opens Path to 50W Qi2 Wireless Charging

Overview

• Reporters say the Wireless Power Consortium discussed advancing the Qi/Qi2 standard to support 50 watts of wireless power at a recent off-cycle meeting hosted at Xiaomi’s Beijing campus, but the change is not yet finalized.
• Xiaomi pushed a 'small inductance, low voltage, high power' technical approach intended to raise charging speed while limiting heat, and other manufacturers reportedly took part in technical talks.
• Accessory makers have broadly adopted Qi2 hardware, yet most Android phone makers have not integrated the magnetized phone-side features that Qi2 needs to deliver its full benefits.
• If standardized and adopted by device makers, 50W Qi/Qi2 could roughly double current top wireless speeds and make wireless charging closer in speed to wired charging, with Xiaomi likely to move first and Google and Apple plausible follow-ons.
• Significant engineering hurdles remain, including thermal management, coil and magnet integration, battery safety certification, and wider handset support, so timelines and real-world device availability remain uncertain.