While the announcement of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P yesterday was the source of much happiness for many an Android fan, others have been concerned that there’s no wireless charging in the new Nexus devices. The dispel this and other fan concerns, Android head Hiroshi Lockheimer held a Reddit AMA earlier today, and had a unsurprisingly diplomatic answer:
HL> Thanks for being a Nexus fan! We added Qi wireless charging starting with N4 because plugging in USB micro B was such a hassle! (Which way is up!?) With this year’s Nexii, we support USB Type-C which has a reversible connector so there’s no more guessing. AND it charges incredibly swiftly: 1% to 100% in 97 mins on the 6P for example (the first ~45 mins of charging is especially fast). Meanwhile, wireless charging adds z (thickness). So, ease of plugging in + fast charging + optimizing for thinness made us double down on Type-C instead of wireless!
Apart from using “Nexii” as the plural of “Nexus”, Lockheimer says that the reason there is no wireless charging in the new Nexus devices is because of thickness. Not that I don’t believe them, I think there’s a slightly different answer if we read between the lines – USB Type-C is going to be the new industry standard one day, and by forcing people to use it, it’s essentially forcing people to realize why Type-C is better. That and all your wireless charging docks use microUSB input anyway.
What do you think about Lockheimer’s explanation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Reddit via Android Police
