A new rumour suggests that Oppo and OnePlus handsets may soon use a proprietary magnetic charging system.
There are still questions around whether or not it will integrate Qi2, but it should pull them closer to Apple and MagSafe.
In the world of Android phones, a big shift has been expected for a while. A few years ago, the Qi2 charging standard was introduced, which looked set to offer a MagSafe-like charging experience on other handsets.
It took a while to bed in thanks to product design cycles, but it's finally starting to rear its head on some rumoured devices. Now, a new report suggests that Oppo and OnePlus handsets will arrive with a similar technology – but it may not integrate the Qi2 standard.
The news comes from renowned tipster, Digital Chat Station, who suggests that the brands are working on a proprietary magnetic charging solution. That's not dissimilar to the MagSafe charging found in iPhones, though with a slightly different design so as to not infringe upon any patents.
It's certainly an interesting approach. Many commentators – myself included – saw the Qi2 standard as a really brilliant opportunity for brands to unify their approach.
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This rumour suggests that the two brands are looking to circumvent that, which would definitely be an odd choice. While I can see the benefits of having total control over the hardware which works with your device, walling it off from other Android devices would make the accessories less valuable to the consumer.
I'd be much more inclined to buy into a system of chargers and accessories that worked seamlessly with most of the phones on the market, rather than investing heavily into something specific.
Still, there's no guarantee that it will or wont right now. Regardless, it's great to see other brands working to implement solid wireless charging capabilities. In my opinion, it has been one of the best features for Apple devices over the last few years.
With the handsets in question usually arriving around the end of the calendar year, we should still have a good few months before they're set to arrive. We'll certainly be keeping an eye out for more details and information over the coming months.
