Which phones have wireless charging?
In recent years, wireless charging has becoming more and more common for smartphones. Traditional connector cables are being replaced with wireless charging pads, which are available either directly from your smartphone’s manufacturer or retailers.
How does wireless charging work?
A wireless charging pad creates an electromagnetic field when plugged in and switched on. When a smartphone is placed on top and the two components’ matching internal Qi wireless technology wire coils are aligned, an electric current passes between the pair, and the handset starts charging.
Whether you prefer using Apple or Android devices, there’s a huge choice of handsets out there for each operating system, which offer wireless charging capabilities.
iPhones Compatible with Wireless Charging
Apple launched their wireless system for iPhone in 2017, with the release of the iPhone 8 series and iPhone X series. This marked a major change in construction, with Apple opting for a stylish new glass rear exterior on-top of the traditional sturdy steel body. So, unlike its metallic predecessors, wireless charging was now enabled, because the phone could be paired with a charging pad.
Although both iPhone series have since been discontinued, wireless charging has remained present in all iPhone models since, with serious strides made in terms of efficiency and approach.
Wireless charging is available on the following iPhone models:
• iPhone 13 Mini
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
As well as:
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (second generation)
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
The iPhone 12 range saw the debut of Apple’s updated wireless charging capabilities, with the release of MagSafe technology. This progressive step provides faster charging, using a focused ring of magnets, which helps to make sure that the device and the charging pad are instantly connected. As a result, charging power has been doubled from the standard 7.5W to hit peak performance of up to 15W.
Samsung Phones Compatible with Wireless Charging
The first handsets to offer a wireless charging capacity hit the market in 2012, with the Samsung Galaxy S3 a member of this innovative group. Samsung has continued to utilise wireless charging in its handsets, releasing the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models in 2015 - two of the first handsets to support Qi technology. As a result, the tech giant is now one of the most prominent manufacturers of Android phones to feature the function, with the entire Samsung Galaxy family able to support wireless charging.
In order to further advance this technology, Samsung has even developed its own method of wireless charging in addition to Qi, which is faster than the standard speed, and available to purchase with Samsung own-brand chargers. Samsung handsets are all Qi certified, so are also compatible with any Qi wireless charger. This progressive charging technology is into its second stage – known as Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 - and offers a 10W+ charge.
Wireless charging is available on these Samsung Galaxy smartphones:
• Samsung Galaxy S20FE 4G
• Samsung Galaxy S20FE 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S21
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
Google Phones Compatible with Wireless Charging
And let's not forget the Google phones currently available with wireless charging:
• Google Pixel 6
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
Is wireless charging bad for battery life?
We all have our own habits for charging our phones. Some of us wait until the battery has almost run out, others opt to keep their phone fully topped up at all times, while the rest of us sit somewhere in between.
Smartphones are generally fitted with a lithium-ion battery, which is expected to have a finite lifespan. For example, Apple devices are designed to still hold 80% of their full capacity after 500 complete charging cycles. With this in mind, whether you charge your smartphone using a wireless charger or through the traditional wired approach, you won’t overcharge your handset.
Heat is a factor which can impact your battery life, and is something to pay attention to with whatever approach you take towards charging your phone. You can avoid any immediate risks by removing your phone cover, making sure it’s sat securely on the charging pad and taking care not to leave it in direct sunlight. Many wireless chargers have built-in fans and cooling systems, which helps to ease any potential concerns.
What are the benefits of charging your phone wirelessly?
Unlike your traditional charging cable, which can get worn out or damaged, wireless charging pads don’t require any force or fumbling with a wire to connect to a handset. This reduces everyday wear and tear to your charging system, as less stress is placed on connection ports by handsets. With this development there are no wires to fray and so the risk of repetitive damage being caused over time is minimised.
Many handsets with wireless charging capabilities also have a reverse charging feature, which enables you to share your phone's power with compatible wireless charging phones and accessories if anyother device nearby is running low.
Wireless charging is perfect if you opt to charge your phone periodically throughout day, with minimum interruption to your phone usage. Pop it down on the charging port whenever you're not using it, to eliminate any need to be crouched near a plug socket on long calls or prolonged social media scrolling.
Discover the best deals on iPhone and Samsung handsets which offer wireless charging at mobiles.co.uk.