Summary
- Rumors strongly suggest that Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 series will ship with built-in Qi2 magnets for wireless charging, with a possible brand name of Pixelsnap.
- A new leaked image from Dutch publication NieuweMobiel showcases what appears to be Pixelsnap magnets implemented within first-party Pixel 10 cases.
- Pixelsnap by Google could advance the Android ecosystem by incentivizing other hardware makers to adopt Qi2 with magnets built right into their own handsets.
We’re now less than a week away from Google’s big Pixel 10 series reveal, which is slated to take place at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT on August 20. As is so often the case with soon-to-be-released Google devices, the hardware itself has already been leaked to the moon and back (including via some teasers from the search giant itself).
Mounting evidence suggests that Google is ready to adopt not only native Qi2 wireless charging within its Pixel 10 line, but also the MagSafe-style ring of magnets that has been standardized via the Wireless Power Consortium’s Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) specification. This being Google, there’s also a rumor that the Pixel’s Qi2 implementation will sport a fanciful brand-name: Pixelsnap.
Now, all-new leaked images from Dutch publication NieuweMobiel (via The Verge) showcase that Google’s first-party Pixel 10 cases will also feature Qi2’s signature array of magnetics, which would be in addition to the rings embedded within the smartphones themselves. In these leaked images, an indigo (dark blue) silicon case is shown from various angles, with the circular imprint of a magnetic ring visible from the inside of the case.
In addition to the indigo variant, NieuweMobiel showcases obsidian (black), limoncello (yellow), and frost (light blue) case flavors, which perfectly match up with the rumored array of Pixel 10 colorways. Separate renders of the same case for the Pixel 10 Pro are also showcased, with moonstone (gray), jade (light green), and porcelain (beige) hues on display.
Pixelsnap is a big deal
Google might be about to single-handedly push the Android market forward
Google / Pocket-lint
Despite Qi2 and its Magnetic Power Profile having been standardized for some time now, Android hardware makers have been reluctant to include the specification’s ring of magnets within their phones, flagship or otherwise. With the one exception of the HMD Skyline, the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and others have instead opted to magnetize their first-party cases, without doing so for their handsets proper.
This has been a disappointing status quo in the Android world, considering the undeniable convenience of being able to magnetically adhere a phone to any number of wireless charging stands, accessories, and peripherals. For reference, Apple’s analogous MagSafe standard (which actually serves as the technological basis of Qi2’s MPP) has been included on all iPhone models since 2020, with the one exception being the iPhone 16e.
Personally, I can’t wait for a future in which Qi2, magnets and all, reach ubiquity within the Android hardware ecosystem.
If the rumors of built-in Pixelsnap magnets for the Pixel 10 series prove accurate, this will be a major development. Pixel phones don’t sell at high volumes, but they do garner a great deal of media attention. As such, this decision of confidence from Google would effectively thrust magnetic Qi2 into the mainstream, compelling other Android phone makers to hop on the bandwagon with their next flagship models.
Personally, I can’t wait for a future in which Qi2, magnets and all, reach ubiquity within the Android hardware ecosystem. The ability to mix and match Qi2 and MagSafe accessories would be wonderful, and it’d bring Android better in line with the iPhone (and perhaps reduce the friction of switching mobile ecosystems).
Stay tuned for additional Pixel 10 series coverage from Pocket-lint in the coming days and weeks.
