Pixel 10 series seems like it will have Qi2 magnets, leaks suggest

While many devices strive to be thinner and lighter than their predecessors, Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 series is thicker and heavier across the board, adding more credence to the idea that these devices will have Qi2 magnets inside in line with recent teases.

Pixel 10 series is thicker and heavier

It’s been mentioned multiple times over the course of the past few months that Google’s Pixel 10 devices will be a bit thicker than their Pixel 9 counterparts. The differences aren’t expected to be major by any means, with very minimal differences on most devices. Meanwhile, the weight is also said to be going up, with the whole lineup gaining a few grams. On most devices, this can be attributed quite easily to the increased battery capacity.

The breakdown is as follows, citing details from past leaks and a recent report from Android Headlines.

Every device in Google’s lineup is getting heavier, thicker, or both, but seemingly for good reason. With bigger batteries in each device, endurance should be improved whether or not Tensor G5 delivers on its efficiency ambitions.

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Will the Pixel 10 series have magnets? Here are the puzzle pieces

With those changes in mind, though, the other big question is around Qi2. Multiple leaks have pinpointed that Google is doing something with Qi2, with some claiming that the Pixel 10 series notes “Qi2 Wireless Charging” support, and others detailing a new “Pixelsnap” ecosystem of accessories that leverages magnets.

“Pixelsnap” is said to include a “Charger,” “Ring Stand,” and “Charger with Stand.” That charger is thought to possibly be similar to Apple’s MagSafe charger, with a magnetic wireless charging puck at the end of a cable.

Meanwhile, another leak shows that Google’s official cases this year will have built-in magnets, which for some reason led some to cast doubt on if the phones themselves will have magnets built in. Using the cases as evidence alone tells us almost nothing, as Apple’s first-party cases also have magnets inside even though (most) new iPhones have their own built-in magnets.

Rather, all of the other evidence seems to suggest the opposite here, with the Pixel 10 series more likely to have magnets built in.

Google selling its own magnetic accessories is one strong hint at that, as is this week’s announcement of the Qi 2.2.1 standard update. This new update delivers 25W charging and is a version of the Qi standard that Google itself was involved in developing. Qi2 no longer requires magnets to be built into the device with the arrival of “Qi2 Ready,” but things are certainly aligning in favor of Google still doing it, and it really just boils down to sense. It’d be odd for Google to sell first-party charging accessories that can’t be used without a case, and it’d be equally odd to make every Pixel device this year thicker and heavier without adding a major user benefit. Bigger batteries are great, but that’s never stopped brands from making devices thinner in the past. The added weight also doesn’t seem to directly line up with the added battery capacity based on Google’s past devices. The Pixel 8 Pro was just one gram heavier than Pixel 7 Pro with a 50 mAh jump, for example. Pixel 10 Pro XL is seeing a mere 2.5%~ battery increase, but a 5% weight increase. Something else is clearly happening under the hood.

When you look at the bigger picture, it seems all but certain that Google plans to integrate Qi2 fully into the Pixel 10 series, but we’re still waiting on that firm confirmation. As Google’s August 20 launch event nears, it’s pretty likely we’ll hear more.

What do you think? Will the Pixel 10 series have magnets? Would that convince you to buy one? And is it worth a thicker, heavier device? Let us know!

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