Paul’s Pixel 10 Diaries: The Magic of Pixelsnap ⭐

Google’s adoption of the Qi2.2/MPP wireless standards is inarguably one of the best new features in the Pixel 10 series smartphones. And that becomes more and more obvious the more I use it.

That said, the language around this feature, which Google markets as Pixelsnap, is a bit tedious. And Google’s implementation differs a bit depending on which Pixel you get.

Terminology

Like everything hardware related—USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth being other great examples—there’s a lot of confusing terminology tied to Qi wireless charging that I feel undermines the brand. But here goes.

Qi is an open standard for wireless charging developed and maintained by the Wireless Power Consortium, with members that include tech companies like Apple, Google, Huawei, Microsoft, Samsung, and Sony. Qi-compatible products use electromagnetic induction to transfer power between a base station (the charger) and a receiver (mobile device).

The original Qi standard dates back to 2009, with a low-power implementation that could charge devices at up to 5 watts. The problem with early Qi charging solutions was that users had to precisely line up the device on the charger for it to work properly. Fun historical fact: Nokia brought Qi to smartphones with its Lumia 900 in 920, offering a variety of wireless charging solutions. (I looked at a subsequent generation version on this site in 2015.)

In 2023, Qi2 added a Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) option that was based on Apple’s MagSafe technology for iPhone and introduced a key innovation: Magnets in the charger and mobile device would ensure that they aligned for reliable power delivery. Qi2 also supported wireless charging up to 15 watts.

This year, we got the Qi2.2 standard, which supports 25 watt power transfer, and a new Qi2 25W brand that no one seems to use yet. But this is important because companies can sell Qi2-branded products—chargers and mobile devices—that don’t support 25-watt charging. So it’s important to know what you’re getting.

Me and Qi

Because wireless charging has always been so slow, relatively speaking, compared to wired charging, I haven’t used it much at all over the past several years as I moved between the latest iPhone and Pixel (and sometimes Samsung) phones. But these companies also moved slowly in beefing up the wired charging speeds these phones supported. And so I moved over time through a series of USB-based chargers and cables that supported whatever the fastest possible speeds these phones supported. Typically, I buy third–party chargers, almost always from Anker.

But the value of MagSafe in the Apple ecosystem is undeniable. There is an ever-growing market of MagSafe-compatible chargers, especially, but also mounts for tripods, cars, nightstands, and whatever else. Recent iPhones support a smart screen-like experienced called Standby that kicks in when the device is charging and oriented in landscape mode that’s quite interesting. And many third parties sell multi-device MagSafe charging stands that support charging an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and even a pair of AirPods, all at the same time.

For the past two years, I and others have waited and wondered by Samsung, which routinely copies Apple’s best ideas, and Google haven’t adopted MagSafe (really, Qi2) in their own phones. Samsung’s implementation, for the past two years or so, has been surprisingly half-assed: Its flagship Galaxy S24/S25 phones “support” Qi2, but they do not include the magnets required by the optional MPP part of the spec. And so customers who want full Qi2/MagSafe compatibility have to buy special cases that have those magnets built-in instead.

Google and Qi2.2

Google announced the Pixel 10 series in late August and its biggest hardware innovation, perhaps, is the introduction of Qi2-compatible wireless charging with support for MagSafe-type MPP across the lineup. Google also announced a small lineup of Pixelsnap-branded accessories that support this functionality alongside its new phones. But this functionality is particularly good news for Pixel fans because the new phones work with all the existing MagSafe-compatible chargers, mounts, and other devices that are already out in the market.

This is a minor problem, I guess, but Google also confused matters somewhat by supporting 25-watt Qi2/MagSafe/Pixelsnap charging—i.e. Qi2 45W—only with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. If you buy a Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro, and soon, a Pixel 10 Pro Fold, those devices only support 15-watt charging (i.e. Qi2).

But whatever: With MPP support, all Pixel 10 series devices will work with any MagSafe-compatible charger, mount, or other peripheral. And that’s a big deal. As it will be for Samsung fans when that company finally offers similar support, as it’s rumored to do early next year with the Galaxy S26 lineup.

Me and Qi2

Because of slow charging speeds and Apple exclusivity, I’ve largely stayed away from the MagSafe/Qi2 ecosystem. But that’s starting to change, and going forward, I will be embracing these products wherever possible.

Indeed, it’s already started. Despite owning only a single smartphone (my iPhone) that’s fully compatible with Qi2 (meaning it supports MPP, too), I’ve been buying a growing list of compatible peripherals over the past year or so. In fact, just in writing this, I came to understand that there are more than I originally thought.

The earliest is from last year. In March 2024, I purchased a Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Notebooks from the Apple Store to use with the MacBook Air M3 15-inch that I also bought that month. This small puck lets you mount an iPhone on the top of a MacBook so you can use it as a webcam with the Mac’s Continuity Camera solution, and it works well enough. (It’s also something MacBook Air M4 users should skip because that model has a vastly improved built-in webcam.)

In the spring, I bought a MagSafe mini-tripod/phone stand after seeing it in an Instagram ad, if you can believe that. It’s in Mexico City now, but it’s pretty versatile.

I also got a MagSafe-compatible car mount because our car doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. You can see that in the top image in my post, Paul’s Pixel 10 Diaries: Battery Life, Performance, and Heat.

I also bought a MagSafe-compatible case for the Samsung Galaxy S25+ I purchased and reviewed in mid-2025. I don’t like it as much as the stock Samsung case, but I grabbed it in case I wanted to use it with the car mount.

And I’ve now purchased two Anker MagGo power banks, one here and one in Mexico, that attach magnetically to the back of compatible phones while charging them. These are useful for those long days out on a trip when you’re taking a lot of photos, accessing Maps and Uber, and otherwise hammering the phone’s battery.

When Google announced the Pixel 10 series, I knew it was finally time to go all-in. In addition to Google’s cases, which support Pixelsnap, I was immediately interested in two of Google’s new Pixelsnap accessories, the Pixelsnap Ring Stand, which is just $29.99, and the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand, which is a bit expensive at $69.99, but also won’t ship until late September, when we’ll be in Mexico. And I am actively researching various third-party multi-device charger/night-stand solutions because the Pixel 10 series phones include a Standby-like Screensaver feature that provides a similar smart screen-like experience when charging. More on that below.

Early hands-on with Pixel 10 series + Qi2/Qi2.2

Google sent me the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL on loan to review, but without any cases or other accessories. As I wrote earlier, I had previously pre-ordered a Pixel 10 Pro XL (which I have since returned) and a Pixelsnap Case, the latter of which I kept and am using with the review unit now. I also separately ordered a Pixelsnap Ring Stand, which arrived the day we left for Berlin last week but too late to bring on the trip.

If you’re not familiar with MagSafe (or Qi2.x with MPP), there’s something truly magical about this system. Yes, it’s just magnets. But there are so many interesting use cases. For example, I’ve seen people on planes attach their iPhones to the back of the seat in front of them using a little MagSafe-based clamp so they can watch videos at eye height. And some recent vehicles integrated MagSafe chargers into whatever flat surfaces so that customers can charge their phones just by putting them down.

What I can do, of course, is just use what I have.

Belkin iPhone Mount

The Belkin iPhone Mount was designed for a MacBook, but it works with a variety of Windows laptops as well. And while I will almost certainly never use it this way, one could, for example, use a Pixel 10 with this mount as as webcam in Windows.

You can also use this as a desk-based stand for the phone, but only in landscape mode, which limits its use mostly to watching videos. The little stand that comes out of it is too short to use in portrait mode.

But then that explains …

Pixelsnap Ring Stand

Google’s Pixelsnap Ring Stand is like many other similar solutions, but with a G logo in the middle of it.

This is a low-profile magnetic attachment, and it has an elegant metal ring you can extend for propping up the Pixel—or any MagSafe-compatible phone—in either landscape or portrait view.

And that makes it incredibly versatile. My wife currently uses a tiny metal phone stand for reading the news on her Samsung, but when she saw me testing the Pixelsnap Ring Stand, she instantly commented that she wanted one.

In case it’s not clear, this and other MagSafe-compatible peripherals hold tightly but can also be rotated as needed. This enables the Pixelsnap to work in both orientations. And you can adjust the metal ring to achieve the angle you prefer. It’s simple and works well.

Car mount

That car mount I bought is another example of a common peripheral in probably hundreds of different versions. The one I got is on the cheap side, it was originally just an experiment. But it works well. Driving around town, I mount the phone vertically, start music, a podcast, or an audiobook playing, and then pause/play or otherwise control playback directly on-screen. (Which just technically became illegal in Pennsylvania, I believe, though interacting with the car stereo is equally distracting.)

On drives, I twist the phone around to landscape orientation for a more useful Google Maps display.

And this device works on the car’s windshield, too, of course. I don’t use it this way myself, but we’ve all seen Uber drivers and others with glass-attached smartphone mounts like this.

Of course, this also means you can mount your phone to almost any surface, glass or whatever else. You could stick in up on a kitchen cabinet or refrigerator while cooking or cleaning in the kitchen, for example. Or, as seen here, mount it up on the bathroom mirror while shaving or showering. I have a Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom and usually listen to something or watch a YouTube video while shaving each day.

Anker MagGo

Given how middling the Pixel 10 series battery life is, having a portable charger is necessary for those unusual days when you’re out in the world for a long time, as on a trip.

And so I brought one of them to Berlin last week, and with the exception of the one day I wrote about in Paul’s Pixel 10 Diaries: Battery Life, Performance, and Heat, one of us carried it with us each time we headed out into the city. This particular product supports 15-watt wireless charging, not 25, but it was still very nice to have.

Pixel Screen saver

The Pixel 10 series phones all support a new Screen saver feature (in Settings > Display & touch > Screen saver) that some may overlook because it sounds like a vestigial leftover from the past. But this is new: It can display an Everyday Clock with three date and weather options and theme choices, a Google Photos slideshow, a Google Home Controls dashboard, an (analog) Pilot Bold Clock, or a Pixel Weather display when the phone is charging.

Better still, this works in both portrait and landscape modes.

And it can be configured to come on when charging or when charging and upright only, and optionally only when on wireless charging. You can also enable a low-light mode, since many will want this display on the nightstand when used with whatever dock, like the Pixelsnap Charger with Stand I can’t order. It’s a really neat feature with a thoughtful implementation.

There’s so much more

I left my mini tripod/stand in Mexico, but I’m eager to try that with the Pixel 10 series phones when we head back there in a few weeks. I would like to get some kind of nightstand multi-device charger for Mexico, as noted. And I will at some point replace my current full-sized tripod, which has a clamp-based manual smartphone mount on it, with something MagSafe/Qi-based. It’s an incredible ecosystem of products that ssuddenlyjust work with Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. And while this may not be a reason to upgrade, it’s a wonderful perk if you do.

More soon.