st240

TECH FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

Boost your charging

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand with Qi2 15W This wireless charging stand can power three devices at once, delivering 15W of power to your iPhone, 5W to your Apple Watch, and another 5W to your AirPods.

Qi2 is the future of wireless charging, even if a lot of phone manufacturers are yet to adopt it. But what is it, and how is it going to improve the charging experience? Words James O’Connor W ireless charging is the kind of evergreen feature that continues to impress – charging your phone, watch, against the charging coil in the phone, with that satisfying feeling you get from two magnets clicking together. WHAT IS QI2 CHARGING AND AND WHY DO YOU NEED IT?

The charging pad keeps devices magnetically secure and aligned to optimise energy usage and protect the batteries, and the

adjustable 90° tilt lets you go hands free for streaming and video calls.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro Qi2 2-in1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad A flat option for fast wireless charging of two devices on the pad – a phone and earbuds – plus a USB-C charging port to connect a third, like a watch. Your phone will fast-charge up to 15W, with up to 5W for an additional device and 30W from the USB-C connection. A compact and portable pad for powering up anywhere, this 2-in-1 is also compatible with some Android devices.

or earbuds without needing to plug into a port still feels like technology from the future. Even so, there's been a big shift in this tech recently thanks to Qi2 charging, which is leading to better, faster, easier wireless charging. Until recently, the interface standard for most wireless charging was called Qi, pronounced "chee". Qi has been around since 2010, back in the days of Angry Birds and home screen buttons, and has been improved and updated over the years. In 2023 the Wireless Power Consortium (dedicated to global standardising or wireless charging tech) announced a huge step forward with Qi2, which is likely to become the wireless charging standard for new smart devices, and is already being incorporated into many new chargers. Qi2 is based on Apple's

Qi2 chargers are safe and simple, with charges up to 15 watts getting your phone battery back to 100% faster than a wired connection can. These chargers also generate less heat than previous models, so the phone and charger won't feel uncomfortably warm.

onwards, plus several iterations of the Apple Watch and AirPods. Belkin has released a range of Qi2 charging devices including stands, pads, docks, and power banks to magnetically attach your devices to, and some can charge up to three devices simultaneously, so your phone, watch and AirPods will always be powered up and ready to go. A greater uptake in Qi2 charging from the big phone brands in the future should also lead to an uptick in charging devices developed with this technology. Adoption takes time, but the satisfying feeling of the charger pulling your phone towards it is undeniable.

MagSafe design, and all Qi2 chargers feature a Magnetic Power Profile. To sum up the appeal in one word: magnets. With a Qi2 charger, charging your phone is less fiddly than before – it'll snap right into place

Qi2 is an open global standard, which means phones from a variety of brands are likely to support it… eventually. Right now, Qi2 chargers are most reliably compatible with Apple devices – iPhone models from 12

40 OCTOBER 2024

jbhifi.com.au