Highlights

• Flagship models from Apple, Samsung, and Google offer up to 23W wireless charging.
• OnePlus 12 introduces a rapid 50W charging capability.
• Honor Magic 6 Pro breaks records with 66W wireless charging.
• Qi2 standard aims to unify charging experiences with magnetic technology.

Wireless charging has become a standard feature in the smartphone industry, with practically all flagship phones supporting some form of it.

However, the speed of wireless charging varies significantly among different brands and models.

Major Brands: A Slow Progress

The major brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google have settled on speeds of around 15 watts. This means it takes roughly around two hours to fully charge your phone.

For instance, the latest high-end iPhone 15 series and Galaxy S24 family max out at 15 watts when it comes to wireless charging.

Google’s latest Pixel 8 Pro is only slightly faster at up to 23 watts, but in our testing, the actual charging time was still more than two hours.

The Rise of Fast Wireless Charging

However, the story is different outside the mainstream.

The latest OnePlus 12, a popular phone in India, supports 50W charging.

For that, you would need to buy OnePlus’ proprietary Warp 50 charger, but with that, the company promises a full wireless charge takes merely 55 minutes. This is more than twice as fast as Apple and Google!

And OnePlus is not the only one. Companies originating in China like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Huawei all support 50W wireless charging.

But each company uses its own proprietary charger, so there is no universal standard here.

The Fastest Wireless Charging in 2024

This year, we actually have a new record holder for fastest wireless charging!

The new Honor Magic 6 Pro supports an incredible 66W wireless charging speeds, so a full 100% top-up takes just over 40 minutes.

The Future of Wireless Charging

The next thing in wireless charging has got to be the new Qi2 standard. It probably will not result in faster speeds, but it will incentivize Android phone makers to include MagSafe-like technology, so you can snap your Android phone to your wireless charger with magnets.

We suspect the Google Pixel 9 series to be the first ones to implement this new technology.

FAQs

What wireless charging speed do the latest iPhones support?

The iPhone 15 series supports wireless charging at 15W, aligning with the standard for Apple’s recent flagship devices.

How does OnePlus 12’s wireless charging speed compare to major brands?

OnePlus 12 dramatically surpasses major brands by offering a 50W wireless charging speed, significantly reducing charging time to just about 55 minutes.

Which smartphone currently holds the record for the fastest wireless charging?

The Honor Magic 6 Pro currently holds the title for the fastest wireless charging at an astonishing 66W, enabling a full charge in slightly over 40 minutes.

Is there a universal standard for wireless charging among smartphones?

While there is no universal standard due to proprietary technology used by different brands, the upcoming Qi2 standard aims to introduce a more unified approach, possibly incorporating magnetic technology similar to MagSafe.

What future wireless charging developments can we expect?

The Qi2 standard, expected to be adopted by future models like the Google Pixel 9 series, promises not faster speeds but a more convenient charging experience with the inclusion of magnetic technology.