Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Gets Qi 2.1 Certification – But What Does That Really Mean?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Gets Qi 2.1 Certification, But It’s Complicated

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 has received certification for Qi 2.1 wireless charging from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), but the details leave more questions than answers.

According to the WPC, the Z Fold7 only supports the Basic Power Profile (BPP) at 5W – a curious claim, considering its predecessor, the Z Fold6, supports the Extended Power Profile (EPP) with 15W charging. It’s extremely likely that Samsung’s latest foldable does in fact offer at least the same 15W support, if not more.

Qi 2.1 brings some modern enhancements, including magnetic features similar to Apple’s MagSafe. These are defined by two new profiles:

• Magnetic Cover Power Enhancement (MCPE): Designed for phones without built-in magnets, allowing them to use magnetic accessories via specialized cases.
• Magnetic Cover Power Magnet (MCPM): For devices with internal magnets that interact with case magnets to strengthen attachment.

Unfortunately, WPC listings can be notoriously vague or even misleading. The Z Fold7’s certification page only mentions BPP and doesn’t clarify support for EPP or MPP, leading to confusion. The listed model number, “SM-D637U,” doesn’t align with Samsung’s usual “SM-F” series format either – not surprising, as the WPC uses internal naming conventions. Other models like the Z Fold6 (“SC-55E”) and Z Fold5 (“SM-D617S”) show similar inconsistencies.

It’s clear the WPC page is still under construction – the “Coming Soon” image says it all. So far, there’s no solid evidence that the Fold7 will support native magnets for Qi 2.1’s MPP mode. Instead, Samsung may stick with its strategy from the S25 series, relying on magnetic cases (MCPE) to offer pseudo-MagSafe functionality. Popular third-party cases, such as those from Spigen, have already embraced this approach.

While Qi 2.1 is technically a step forward, the slow wireless charging speeds (especially for a device likely priced near $1800) are drawing criticism. As it stands, 15W wireless and 25W wired charging are hardly competitive when mid-range phones now boast 45W wired charging.

In short, Qi 2.1 is here, but don’t expect miracles – especially not from Samsung’s foldables, which continue to lag in charging innovation.