Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL Limit Fast Wireless Charging
Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL Limit Fast Wireless Charging
Google’s latest flagships – Pixel 3 at 71,000 and Pixel 3 XL – support Qi wireless charging. Certainly, it comes with a wireless charger called Pixel Stand that provides ‘fast wireless charging’. However, buyers of the smartphones have ended up with a big surprise. For some reason, the company has put an upper limit on speeds of third-party Qi chargers. The chargers refrain from reaching top speeds on the Pixel 3 lineup. This implies that a third-party charger will charge 5W charging speeds. However, if you are willing to spend Rs. 6,900 on the Pixel Stand, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be able to charge at optimum speeds.
Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL
A Google Pixel 3 ₹ 71,000 users took to Reddit to complain that a 10W Anker wireless charger was able to provide the only 500 mAh to the phone, as found via Ampere charging app. When contacted by the user, Anker reportedly said that only Google’s official wireless charger can provide 10W for the Pixel 3 and Pixel XL 3. The company further added that Google sets a limitation for third-party fast wireless chargers and they can only provide 5W for these two handsets. We reached out to Google to confirm the issue, and in a statement to Gadgets 360, a spokesperson said, “Pixel Stand charges Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL at up to 10W, and other Qi-compatible phones up to 5W, which means charging a Pixel device on Pixel Stand provides faster charge than most standard Qi chargers.”
Android Police further clarified the issue with Google. It claimed that the Pixel 3 only charges at 10W on the Pixel Stand because a “secure handshake” takes place. As per the report, Google is currently working with its partners in the ‘Made for Google’ programme. The purpose is to get fast 10W chargers certified for use with Pixel 3. It notified that Belkin has already announced its own 10W Pixel 3 charger. When other manufacturers follow suit, the certified chargers will use the protocol currently used by the Pixel Stand to charge the new Pixel handsets at 10W.
As per initial reports by, the latest Pixel lineup has been facing several issues ever since its launch. The key highlight of the Pixel 3 lineup is its refabricated Google Camera app accompanied by new features. According to a previous report, the Camera app has several changes from the current app on previous Pixel handsets. Notably, the key differences are a new UI, RAW support along with a new panorama mode. Notably, the Google Camera 6.1 update, which shipped on the Pixel 3, 3 XL, is now reportedly rolling out to Pixel 1, Pixel 2, and Nexus smartphones as well. Interestingly, one can go to the Google Play Store from the watch and scroll to ‘Apps on your phone’ so as to install the Camera app.
As the Android Police found, a Redditor claimed the existence of another lesser-known feature. It is that the app can add a remote viewfinder to any smartwatch running Wear OS.