Finally, Android’s chance to play with magnets
Nubia has done its best to make a mark on the world of smartphones outside of its close relationship with ZTE. Since then, it’s the RedMagic series of gaming phones that have managed to take off, but there’s plenty of innovation coming from the company’s mainline devices as well. With the freshly launched Nubia Z40 Pro Gravity Edition, we’re getting some Apple-style magnetic charging on Android.
Magnetic wireless charging on smartphones first went mainstream with the MagSafe charger that Apple introduced with the iPhone 12. It latches onto the device, ensuring proper alignment and maximizing charging speeds. More importantly, you get to hear that satisfying click as you stick the iPhone and the MagSafe together, which — let’s agree — is the best part about magnets.
The Nubia Z40 Pro uses an extremely similar iteration of this technology, granting it a novelty status that might win some users over (via GSM Arena). That said, it doesn’t actually grant you any benefits over other wireless charging technology. Nubia has also left its wattage unspecified, so you shouldn’t expect it to be the fastest in the industry. Of course, it’s hard to worry about speeds with 66W wired fast charging available as an alternative.
Nubia is far from the first Android manufacturer to use magnets for charging. LG had similarly experimented a couple of years back with charging adapters for its dual-screen attachments, which, while unique, weren’t technically wireless. On the other hand, Nubia has delivered an actual answer to Apple’s MagSafe — although it has yet to pick a fancy name.
Aside from charging, the Nubia Z40 Pro comes with another industry first: a 64MP Sony IMX787 sensor topped by a 35mm equivalent lens, one of three cameras found along the rear. The phone is also equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, so expect top-notch responsiveness and gaming performance.
Unfortunately, the magnetic wireless charging is limited to the ‘Gravity Edition’ of the Z40 Pro. The variant also packs a smaller 4,600mAh battery compared to the 5,000mAh unit on the standard Z40 Pro. Both models are China-exclusives, starting at CNY 3,400, or around $540.
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