The Wireless Power Consortium recently held a technical conference at Xiaomi’s headquarters in Beijing to advance development of the upcoming Qi 50W wireless charging standard. The event took place from June 22 to June 25 and brought together engineers from several major technology companies, including Apple, Google, Huawei, Honor, Oppo, and Vivo.
The main goal of the conference was to refine the technical specifications, evaluate prototype hardware, and improve interoperability for the future 50W wireless charging standard. The Wireless Power Consortium has steadily increased Qi charging capabilities over the years. After the 15W magnetic Qi2 standard became an IEC international standard in late 2024, the organization introduced the 25W specification in 2025. The next milestone is the 50W standard, which is expected to be finalized in 2028.
A significant part of the discussions focused on Xiaomi’s proposed hardware architecture for the new Qi 50W standard. According to the company, the current Qi2 coil design has limitations that create thermal management challenges, especially for foldable smartphones and wireless charging systems used in vehicles. To overcome these issues, Xiaomi spent the past two years developing a low inductance, low voltage charging architecture.
The new design aims to reduce energy loss within the charging coil, improve heat management, and simplify the integration of wireless charging modules into modern devices. Xiaomi submitted the proposal to the Wireless Power Consortium toward the end of 2024 and carried out cross brand testing with both 25W and 50W prototype systems throughout 2025. During the first quarter of 2026, the consortium officially adopted this architecture as part of the drafting process for the upcoming Qi 50W standard.
More than 20 companies also participated in a four day Plugfest during the conference. This industry testing event is designed to verify compatibility between different charging chips, coils, and devices. Companies including Anker, NXP, and Southchip tested their prototype hardware to ensure future 50W wireless chargers will operate safely and consistently across multiple brands.
For Chinese hardware manufacturers, having their low inductance charging technology incorporated into the global Qi standard is an important strategic step. It helps maintain compatibility between domestic manufacturing and international markets while reducing the risk of fragmented wireless charging standards across different regions.
(via)
