Why Samsung is forgoing magnets for Qi charging on Galaxy smartphones
Samsung's Head of Research and Development explains the absence of magnets in Galaxy smartphones by citing device thickness and the widespread use of cases.
Back of the Samsung Galaxy S26
(Image: Steffen Herget / heise medien)
Unlike other major smartphone manufacturers like Apple or Google, Samsung has so far refrained from integrating magnets on the back of its new phone generations. With MagSafe on the iPhone and Pixelsnap on the Pixel 10, compatible battery packs or other accessories can be firmly connected to smartphones and charged more conveniently. Samsung devices lack this feature, but a high-ranking executive from the South Korean company has now explained this by citing device thickness and the widespread use of protective cases. However, he does not categorically rule out magnets for future Galaxy smartphones.
Even before the official introduction of Samsung's Galaxy S26 series, it became known that the manufacturer is once again foregoing magnets for Qi charging. While the new Galaxy generation supports the Qi 2.2.1 standard for fast wireless charging, this is a more current version than the one Google uses for the Pixel 10 models (2.0.1). However, Samsung's models use the “Base Power Profile” (BPP) instead of the “Magnetic Power Profile” (MPP). This means that the S26 devices do not have built-in magnets and, like the S25 series, rely on cases with integrated magnets to attach accessories such as Qi2 chargers, power banks, and wallets.
Samsung refers to protective cases with magnets
Samsung's Won-Joon Choi has now confirmed to The Verge speculations that the company prioritizes device thickness over a reliable wireless charging option. The Head of Samsung's Research and Development considers the additional thickness of magnets a poor compromise, as people buy a protective case anyway. “About 80 to 90 percent of people use a case, and cases with magnets are very popular these days,” said Choi. He failed to mention that Samsung also makes additional money from protective cases that enable magnetic attachment of accessories.
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Instead, Choi explains that Samsung would prefer to use the additional height to either install a larger battery or make the phone thinner. However, Samsung has not touched the battery in the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra either. It continues to have a capacity of up to 5000 mAh – just like the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The S26 Ultra is therefore already the seventh model with the same battery.
However, Samsung is also continuing to work on possible magnets on the back of Galaxy smartphones. “We are still doing intensive research to ensure that we don't have to compromise on the internal functionality of the phone,” Choi added. “Once we achieve this, we will integrate it.” However, he did not provide a timeline. Therefore, users of Galaxy smartphones who want to magnetically attach accessories will have to rely on corresponding protective cases for now.
(fds)
