Information about Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup has been leaking on the internet for at least a few months now. There’s little we don’t already know about the device. Initial leaks suggested the Galaxy S26 Ultra will natively integrate Qi2 magnets and support 25W wireless fast charging. But recent rumors indicate Samsung may again skip the big wireless charging upgrade its flagship phones need.
Despite the Qi2 standard being finalized in 2024, Samsung launched its 2025 flagships without built-in magnets. That meant the phones could not snap onto magnetic and MagSafe-compatible accessories without a magnetic case. Samsung and the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) even came up with the Qi2 Ready moniker for this.
A year later, you’d expect Samsung to finally integrate magnets into the Galaxy S26 Ultra and its smaller siblings for native Qi2 support. Early leaks suggested as much, but it looks like that may not be the case.
Reliable leaker Ice Universe says with “100% accuracy” that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will not include built-in magnets. Instead, you will again have to rely on magnetic cases to enjoy seamless connectivity with magnetic accessories.
Given the leaker’s track record, there’s little reason to doubt his claims.
Samsung will supposedly offer several first-party cases for the S26 Ultra with built-in magnets. It even plans to offer a Qi2.2 wireless charging puck similar to Apple’s MagSafe. However, they will not be enough to make up for the lack of native Qi2 wireless charging support.
Without built-in magnets, it’s unclear how the Galaxy S26 Ultra will support rumored 25W wireless charging. The faster charging speed is a part of the Qi2.2 standard.
All Android phones need to support Qi2
Beyond faster wireless charging speeds, native Qi2 support is useful in daily life, as it offers a more secure connection and eliminates the alignment headaches common with traditional wireless chargers and other accessories.
It’s possible that built-in magnets could interfere with the S Pen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which may explain Samsung’s decision to skip native Qi2 support for another year. Unfortunately, if the S26 Ultra misses out on built-in magnets, Samsung is unlikely to add them to the Plus and base models either.
