Last week marked the certification of the inaugural next-gen wireless chargers, and the new standard has now been officially introduced as Qi2 25W. The updated name will help confirm that we are purchasing the more powerful versions.
The iPhone was the first device to adopt the standard, with Android smartphones now following suit, but anyone considering the purchase of an iPhone 17 might want to wait for the time being.
## A brief recap on Qi chargers
Initial wireless phone chargers were built on the original Qi standard, which was managed by the industry trade organization Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). This was a significant advancement, allowing consumers to buy any Qi-certified charger and be assured that it would be compatible with nearly every phone on the market – including iPhones. However, it was limited to a maximum output of 7.5W, making it not particularly fast.
The Qi2 standard represented a substantial enhancement, particularly since Apple played a role in its development by open-sourcing its MagSafe magnetic attachment system. Qi2 chargers also increased power output to 15W.
Qi 2 25W is the most recent update to the standard, further increasing power to 25W.
## Qi2 25W officially unveiled
Initially, the WPC referred to the new standard as Qi 2.2, but has since concluded that including the power rating in the name is clearer. It is now officially designated as **Qi2 25W**.
The WPC highlights that enhanced speed was the top demand from wireless charger users and assures consumers there will be ample options available.
> Users will be thrilled when they experience Qi2 25W as it provides nearly 70% more power than the original Qi2. The quantity of devices in the Qi2 25W certification queue for launch is unmatched, as is the quality and variety of our members’ product designs.
## But Apple may surpass it
As mentioned last week, however, there is at least a chance that Apple may exceed this with the iPhone 17.
A regulatory listing discovered last month suggested that Apple might be developing a MagSafe charger that supports 45W, as opposed to the 25W maximum of the Qi2 25W standard. Currently, no iPhone supports this speed, but it is possible that the iPhone 17 series will. If that is the case, Qi2 25W chargers won’t be able to support this speed – a new Apple charger would be necessary.
This development wouldn’t surprise me: Apple has been quite liberal in effectively permitting third-party charger brands access to MagSafe, yet it may still reserve an exclusive feature for its own chargers.
