OnePlus 13 might be the first flagship Android phone with MagSafe-like charging

Ben Schoon | Oct 7 2024 - 7:50 am PT

MagSafe, and now Qi2, adds a whole new layer to the wireless charging experience that adds new flexibility and improved functionality, but the universal version of the idea, Qi2, still hasn’t made its way to most Android phones. The OnePlus 13 might finally change that, though, with some form of MagSafe-like charging.

The Qi2 standard was announced with magnetic charging back in 2023, and has since been supported by all iPhones with MagSafe since, for the most part, they’re the same tech. There are plenty of Qi2 accessories on the market today, but only one Android phone has added support in the HMD Skyline, a mid-range device. It was thought that the Pixel 9 series might have been the first set of mainstream flagships with support, but Google’s early release schedule likely contributed to why that didn’t end up happening.

As 2025 approaches, hopefully with a lot more Qi2 in store, OnePlus is hinting that it will support the standard.

In a post on Weibo (via GizmoChina), OnePlus China president Louis Lee shared a screenshot of messages in which he mentions support for “magnetic function” (translated), and in the post asks if that “counts as disclosure.” That suggests that the OnePlus 13 may support Qi2, or some form of magnetic charging similar to MagSafe, but it’s far from explicit confirmation.

That said, it comes as little surprise.

As we had discussed earlier this year, late 2024 and beyond is roughly when Qi2 would likely start showing up in new smartphones, as the standard has been finalized for long enough to actually be able to be integrated into new designs. With the OnePlus 13 set to launch in China this month and globally sometime after that, the timing is right.

OnePlus 13 is also expected to pack a huge battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, and an updated design.