Inductive charging of the smartphone battery is convenient: you put the mobile phone in the charging cradle and it is wirelessly supplied with power – you can save yourself the search for the charging cable. More and more mobile phones are offering this practical function, we are introducing five good wireless charging smartphones. You will also find tips and information about wireless charging.

From Claudia Frickel

iPhone 12 Pro: Fast smartphone with brisk Qi charging

Wireless charging smartphones have been standard at Apple since the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. The 12th generation iPhones can be wirelessly supplied with energy even faster than their predecessors, for example the iPhone 12 Pro: How many watts and how fast you inductively charge it depends on which Qi charger you use. A maximum of 7.5 watts is possible with the standard charger.

You can do twice as much with the Magsafe charger from Apple: The small puck supplies the iPhone 12 with 15 watts , so an empty battery is half full after an hour. Magsafe has another advantage: the smartphone automatically docks via the integrated magnets. With older iPhones you only get 7.5 watts and no magnetic connection. The iPhones do not master reverse charging, i.e. the supply of other devices with energy via the smartphone.

The battery of the iPhone 12 has a capacity of only 815 mAh, but thanks to the interaction of the components it is durable. It lasts up to 17 hours when you watch videos, and up to eleven hours when you stream.

The powerful A14 processor in the iPhone 12 Pro processes commands quickly. The other features are also excellent: The 6.1-inch (approx. 15 cm) large and bright OLED screen displays content sharply. The three cameras on the back offer a wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle and a telephoto lens – and an improved autofocus as well an optical zoom.

iPhone 12 Pro Buy now at

Xiaomi Mi 11: high speed Qi charging and extras

A disadvantage of smartphones with wireless charging is that charging by cable is usually much faster. It is different with the Xiaomi Mi 11: The top smartphone can be charged with 50 watts if you put it on a Qi charger. This means that the battery is full in an hour. For comparison: the power supply unit delivers 55 watts via cable, which is only slightly more.

The cell phone offers another extra feature – reverse charging: it supplies other devices with power , such as headphones, with up to 10 watts. You just have to support the Qi standard as well. The large battery with 4,600 mAh of the Mi 11 also lasts a long time in everyday life.

The smartphone is also excellently equipped in other ways. The Snapdragon 888 chip makes it work fast. The 6.81 inch (17.3 cm) AMOLED display with 120 Hz ensures sharp images and smooth scrolling. Last but not least, a triple camera with wide angle, ultra wide angle and macro lens is part of the equipment.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Buy now at

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Reverse Charging and Fast Qi Charging

The Galaxy S20 FE is one of many wireless charging smartphones from Samsung. You can charge the device wirelessly with 15 watts on a Qi station. Slower reverse charging is also possible . Samsung calls this "Wireless Powershare".

Thanks to the large 4,500 mAh battery, the fan edition of the Galaxy S20 lasts all day, depending on what you're doing. The 6.5 inch (approx. 17 cm) AMOLED display delivers sharp images. When scrolling, the refresh rate of 120 Hz ensures that you don't get stuck. The triple camera comes up with wide-angle, telephoto and ultra-wide-angle sensors as well as an optical image stabilizer. The Galaxy S20 FE does not mind moisture: It is waterproof to IP68.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Buy now at

OnePlus 9 Pro: Super-fast inductive charging and quadruple camera

The OnePlus 9 Pro is one of two devices in our wireless charging smartphone list that can charge wirelessly with 50 watts. With a cable, the OnePlus 9 Pro even supports 65 watts, so it can be charged in a short time. You can supply other compatible devices with energy via reverse charging with 5 watts. With 4,500 mAh, the battery lasts a long time.

Another special feature of the mobile phone is the camera, which was created in collaboration with Hasselblad. The four cameras on the back each have a wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle, telephoto and monochrome lens. With extras such as tilt-shift, night mode or time lapse, even more unusual recordings are possible.

The OnePlus phone works at lightning speed thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. With protection class IP68, it is safe from dust and water. The 6.7-inch (approx. 17 cm) AMOLED display shows videos, games and other content razor-sharp and without jerking. This is ensured by a high pixel density of 525 ppi (pixels per inch) and an image frequency of 120 Hz.

OnePlus 9 Pro Buy now at

Google Pixel 5: Solid smartphone with camera extras and Qi charging

The Google Pixel 5 is one of the smartphones that you can charge wirelessly. It's a little slower than other phones in our list: The smartphone supports 12 watts of inductive charging . You can supply accessories with power via reverse charging with 5 watts – but only if they are capable of inductive charging.

The Pixel 5 is a solid and well-equipped smartphone. On the 6-inch (approx. 15 cm) OLED display, you can see content in sharp focus and rich in contrast. The battery delivers up to 4,080 mAh , it should last for a day with normal use. The mobile phone has a very good dual camera with an ultra-wide angle on the back. A special feature is the powerful night mode, which also enables astrophotography, for example. The Pixel Phone always receives Android updates promptly because it comes directly from Google.

Google Pixel 5 Buy Now at

Wireless charging of smartphones: advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• Wireless charging is convenient because you just hang up your smartphone.
• You don't need to plug in a cable or a free socket.
  You are particularly flexible with reverse charging, as you can charge other devices.
• The Qi standard is internationally uniform and compatible with iPhones and Android smartphones.
• You supply your phone with electricity at public charging stations, even if you don't have the charging cable with you.

Disadvantage:

• Induction charging takes longer than using a cable because less current flows. But it depends on the smartphone – Xiaomi Mi 11 and OnePlus 9 Pro, for example, are very fast.
• As a rule, the cell phone must be in the correct position in order for it to charge.
• When the phone is on the charging cradle, it is not so easy to use it at the same time.
• Sleeves or metallic cases can affect charging.

Our YouTube talk on the topic:

How do you charge your smartphone inductively?

If you want to supply wireless charging smartphones with power without cables, you need a Qi charger . They are usually available as accessories. It can be bowls, brackets, or mats. There are also lamps or clock radios with charging slots.

You can also find stations for inductive charging in many public places, for example in waiting areas at airports, hotels or coffee house chains. Some cars also have a Qi charging option in the center console. You can retrofit them if you wish.