Samsung Galaxy Ring Becomes First Qi2 Certified Product, But Not an "Android MagSafe"

Samsung Galaxy Ring Becomes First Qi2 Certified Product, But Not an "Android MagSafe"IT Home, August 21, 2023 - Despite being announced in January 2023 and officially launched in April, the Qi2 wireless charging standard has yet to see widespread adoption by mainstream Android brand phones. However, certification documents submitted by Samsung to the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) confirm that the Galaxy Ring is not only Samsung's first smart ring product but also the first mobile device to receive Qi2 certification from Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Ring Becomes First Qi2 Certified Product, But Not an "Android MagSafe"

IT Home, August 21, 2023 - Despite being announced in January 2023 and officially launched in April, the Qi2 wireless charging standard has yet to see widespread adoption by mainstream Android brand phones. However, certification documents submitted by Samsung to the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) confirm that the Galaxy Ring is not only Samsung's first smart ring product but also the first mobile device to receive Qi2 certification from Samsung.

According to AndroidAuthority, the Galaxy Ring's charging case can be wirelessly charged using Qi wireless charging and has received Qi2 certification. Notably, other existing Qi2 certified products in the WPC database include the HMDSkyline (the first Android phone to achieve Qi2 certification) and all MagSafe-compatible iPhones since the iPhone 12 launch.

Historically, the iPhone 12 was released at the end of 2020, but it possessed Qi2 charging capabilities because Apple played a significant role in developing the Qi2 standard. In fact, Apple's MagSafe technology spurred the creation of the Qi2 standard, leading to it being dubbed the "Android MagSafe," and not without reason.

The key feature of the Qi2 standard is the introduction of the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), which uses magnets to align wireless charging receivers and transmitters, enhancing charging efficiency and reducing energy loss. The magnets can also be used to connect other accessories, providing Qi2 devices with magnetic attachment functionality.

However, a surprising situation arose: When attempting to connect the Galaxy Ring's charging case to various MagSafe and Qi2 chargers, it was discovered that the charging case couldn't magnetically attach to these chargers. This implies that the Galaxy Ring's charging case does not incorporate built-in magnets, contrasting sharply with the magnetic charging feature heavily promoted by the Qi2 standard.

In reality, the Qi2 standard doesn't mandate that all products must support magnetic charging. It is actually comprised of two profiles:

• Magnetic Power Profile (MPP): This is what we commonly understand as "Android MagSafe," utilizing magnets for alignment and connection.

• Extended Power Profile (EPP): This is an improvement on the existing Qi standard, devoid of magnets, but adhering to the Qi2.0 standard.

According to a press release by the WPC last November, Qi2 certified products without magnetic charging support will "use the existing Qi logo familiar to consumers," while only Qi2 authorized products with MPP support will be able to use the new Qi2 logo on their packaging.

delving deeper into the WPC database, we find that the Galaxy Ring only supports the basic power profile (BPP) of the Qi2 standard. This means that even though the Galaxy Ring supports Qi2 charging, it cannot utilize the most beneficial feature of the new standard: magnetic charging.

Therefore, although the Samsung Galaxy Ring has become the first Android device to receive Qi2 certification, it is not an "Android MagSafe." This product merely supports the basic functionality of the Qi2 standard, lacking the magnetic charging feature. For consumers who are anticipating the ability to use magnetic functionality, the Samsung Galaxy Ring may not entirely meet their expectations.