Five years have passed since Apple released the iPhone 8, the first-gen of Apple phones to support wireless charging. Wireless charging has been a trend for a decade and is thriving faster than ever before.
More and more wireless chargers have emerged, in particular the multi-device wireless chargers. Rumor has it that Apple is still working on the AirPower, a multi-device wireless charging solution that is suspended due to technical problems. If AirPower was to see the light of day, Apple would need to try harder to gain a competitive edge as there are so many alternatives available in the market nowadays.
Why Are Multi-Device Wireless Chargers for iPhone Getting More Popular?
As the name suggests, a multi-device wireless charger can handle more than one device, usually charging an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and an AirPods or another Qi enabled device at the same time. With just one cable and charger, you can charge three or more devices, meaning you can get rid of redundant cables and power adapters, thus saving space and even money.
Multi-device wireless chargers for iPhones are becoming more popular but, if you search for them online, you will find that they look very similar. Seemingly, there are two basic types based on the look. Which one is better?
How to Choose the Best Multi-Device Wireless Charger for iPhone?
Multi-Device Wireless Charging Pads with Lay-Flat Design.
One commonly seen type is the wireless charging pad with a lay-flat design. Usually, the Apple Watch charging module can be raised to work in nightstand mode, but you have to lay your iPhone and AirPods flat on the specific charging spot to charge. The lay-flat design means you cannot use your iPhone while it is charging. You may have difficulty in reading notifications unless you pick up the phone, and it takes up a certain area of your desk. Worse, finding the sweet spot for your iPhone could be tricky on multi-device wireless charging pads. If you like lining up all your devices in a row, multi-device wireless charging pads work better.
The Belkin and mophie 3-in-1 wireless charging pad with MagSafe are typical lay-flat designs. They are both designed with MagSafe, so your iPhone will hit the charging sweet spot every time. Also, they support fast wireless charging up to 15W for iPhone. The Belkin pad supports fast charging for Apple Watch Series 7 too.
They are about 20cm to 30 cm long and 8 cm wide, not too big if you ask unless you have a tiny table. Is it easy to carry? It depends. But the Belkin charging pad definitely is not as portable as the mophie travel charger, which can be folded and packed into a carry case.
Multi-Device Wireless Charging Stands.
The other popular type is multi-device wireless charging stands. The biggest advantage of stands is that you can have your iPhone mounted at the viewing angle, either by magnetically attaching it to the stand or putting it on the special holder.
Since the new Apple MagSafe system was debuted, magnetic wireless charging stands have been seen more often than before, and they usually come with MagSafe. The magnetic design allows you to snap on to charge your iPhone. And it’s possible to rotate the phone between landscape and portrait mode.
Sounds good, right? But they stand much higher than the multi-device wireless charging pads, making them harder to carry.
Some Multi-Device Wireless Chargers Do Not Come with the Whole Set.
No matter which type you prefer, be careful that some multi-device wireless chargers do not come with the whole set. The mophie 3-in-1 stand for MagSafe Charger, for instance, requires you to install your MagSafe Charger to the stand, which may be an ideal solution for those who own the charger and would like to use it fixed in place. But it goes against the purpose of the MagSafe Charger to a certain extent. Clearly, you can’t hold your iPhone while it’s charging like you do when using the MagSafe Charger the way it is designed. In addition, removing the charger from the stand is not a grab-and-go when you want to take it with you.
All right. Now you should have a clearer idea of which multi-device wireless charger to choose for your iPhone and other devices. If you do not like those two common designs, well, luckily, you have another choice.
MagEZ Slider – The Compact & Versatile Multi-Device Wireless Charger for iPhone.
The MagEZ Slider looks like no other multi-device wireless charger for iPhone. The trapezoid-shaped wireless charging stand has this small size with a tiny base that takes up only the space of a mug. It is more like a cool desk toy, and it does act like a toy to some extent. You can spin it and hear the clock ticking whenever you feel like a moment of relaxation during a busy workday.
But the spinning design is not just for fun. It allows you to quickly access to your devices. The MagEZ Slider can charge three devices, an iPhone, an AirPods, and an Apple Watch, at the same time. If we count the power pack, that is up to four devices. That’s right. The wireless charging stand comes with a MagSafe power pack. To charge your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 models (or even a S22 when using with the MagEZ Case 2), snap it onto the power pack in the stand. The stand will charge your phone and then power pack. When you need to charge on the go, simply slide the phone out with the power pack, and you are good to go. Slide the power pack in the slot when you don’t need. With the specific charging slot, you will not misplace your power bank anymore, or find a dead one when your iPhone needs extra power to survive the rest of the day.
That is why the MagEZ Slider could be the most portable multi-device wireless charger in the world. First of all, it is way smaller than many others, yet, its modular design makes carrying so effortless that keeping your phone charged anytime is possible. The MagSafe power pack is detachable and it sticks to the back of your phone, so you can hold and use your phone as usual while it is charging. The Apple Watch wireless charger is detachable too. Unplug it from the stand, put it in your pocket, and you can take it anywhere. Plug it into any USB-C port to charge your gear when needed.
The only problem of the PITAKA’s multi-device wireless charger for iPhone could be that it does not support fast charging. But is fast charging really important when you can charge anywhere anytime?
