Club Benefits
Last year saw Samsung release the Galaxy S25 with what amounts to a stripped-down version of Qi2 wireless charging. The phones had all the advantages of the new tech, but lacked the built-in magnetic ring that makes it more versatile. There had been hopes that the Galaxy S26 series would fix this error, but the latest leak suggests this may not be the case after all.
A leak at Dutch site Nieuwemobiel has information about various Galaxy S26 accessories, including the likes of the S Pen, screen protectors and cases. Crucially, a number of those cases appear to feature a built-in magnetic ring, while others do not.
Those of you who remember the Galaxy S25 launch will already know that this happened last year. Samsung released a range of magnetic cases specifically designed to compensate for the S25 series’ lack of Qi2 magnets.
This suggests that the S26 will work the same way, devoid of magnets unless you choose to add them yourself. Which, frankly, isn’t good enough for a flagship phone that’s going to cost at least several hundred dollars.
Qi2 can’t catch a break
It has been three years since Qi2 was first unveiled at CES 2023, promising an Android equivalent to Apple’s MagSafe, which has existed since 2020. While some of that time was spent ensuring Qi2 was certified and ready to be put into use, phonemakers themselves haven’t been keen to adopt the new technology in its entirety.
In fact, aside from Apple, which retroactively added Qi2 support thanks to its similarities to MagSafe, only two companies have bothered with it: HMD and Google. Meaning a total of five Android phones can benefit from everything Qi2 has to offer. Namely, faster charging speeds, adaptive charging and the magnets.
The Galaxy S25 has all the charging benefits, but not the magnets. With the Galaxy S26 set to follow that same trend, it’s another blow to the wider adoption of full Qi2 technology. A blow that’s worsened by the fact that Samsung is a key player in the Android world, with other phonemakers taking note of what it does and has to offer.
This means that, unless you have a specific magnetic case, you can’t reap the benefits of that magnetic ring. We’re not just talking about the ability to snap on accessories, like grips or phone stands. Those magnets also ensure a smoother wireless charging experience, with the charging coils in both the phone and charger staying in perfect alignment.
Why do the magnets matter?
The question you might have is, what does this matter? The Galaxy S25 and S26 have the more advanced wireless charging technology, so what difference does it make if there are magnets in the phone or not?
It’s all about the alignment. Better alignment means more efficient energy transfer, with less power lost as heat during the process. This means the charging is faster, and your phone is going to stay cooler than it otherwise would have been.
Then, of course, you have the ability to use magnetic accessories. Snap-on grips, phone stands that don’t need ugly gripping mechanisms and even external battery packs that stick to the back of your phone.
Sure, you can get a similar experience if you pick up a magnet-empowering case, including the multitude of options from third-party casemakers. But it defeats the purpose of having Qi2 technology, because it becomes another run-of-the-mill iterative upgrade — rather than something to actually be excited about having.
Why is Samsung avoiding Qi2’s magnets?
Back when the Galaxy S25 launched, Samsung confirmed that one of the reasons it skipped Qi2 magnets was that they were causing interference with the display. We were never privy to details about that interference, other than the fact that the magnets caused problems for the S Pen stylus on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Presumably, the digitizer layer that allows Samsung’s stylus to work doesn’t play well in such proximity to a magnetic field of that caliber. While that wouldn’t affect the Galaxy S26 or S26 Plus, it would be strange to add magnets to those phones and remove them from the more expensive Galaxy S26 Ultra. So nobody gets Qi2 magnets.
It’s also worth mentioning that Google had to remove its reverse wireless charging “Battery Share” feature from the Pixel 10 because of Qi2. While Samsung has never spoken about this publicly, it’s possible that Samsung’s decision to skip magnets might have had something to do with keeping reverse wireless charging tech.
Bottom line
I really love having Qi2 on my Pixel 10 Pro, even if I wasn’t so thrilled about Google's own Pixelsnap accessories. The magnets are ideal for snapping my phone onto stands, chargers and grips, in a way that’s strong and temporary. The lack of adhesives and gripping mechanisms has been a real selling point for me.
Not to mention the fact that improved wireless charging efficiency can only be a good thing. The kind of good thing that every Android phone with wireless charging should have in its repertoire. The fact is, if a cheap £300 (~$408) phone like the HMD Skyline can offer full Qi2, then flagship devices like the Galaxy S26 have no excuse. Stylus performance isn’t really an excuse.
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