The new Pixel 9 phones don’t support the faster Qi2 wireless charging that opens up a MagSafe-compatible accessory ecosystem. Google explains why.
If I had a penny for every Android flagship I expected to ship with Qi2 wireless charging only to be disappointed with first-generation Qi, I’d have — well — a few pennies.
Ever since the Qi2 spec was finalized and launched in late 2023, I’ve been champing at the bit, waiting for it to be built into my favorite Android phone series. First, the Pixel 8 launched without Qi2, and I forgave it because it was probably too last-minute for Google to change its years-in-the-making hardware. Then, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series followed, still without Qi2. Other flagships and midrange phones from OnePlus, OPPO, vivo, realme, Nothing, and others launched too, all of them without Qi2. Last month, the latest Samsung Galaxy Z foldables made their debut, and you guessed it: no Qi2 either.
And now, as the new Google Pixel 9 series was made official, I scoured the specs page looking for wireless charging details. Surely, I thought, it should pack in Qi2. The technology was announced in early 2023 and likely shared with phone manufacturers before that — that is enough time to adopt it in late 2024 hardware!
But… sad trombone moment: The Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, all charge wirelessly over the older Qi protocol.
