Shruti Suman
Android 15 is rumored to include support for NFC wireless charging, offering users another option to charge their devices. This feature could allow devices without built-in wireless charging to be charged wirelessly through Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. NFC Wireless Charging (WLC), introduced in 2020, enables charging between devices placed within a maximum distance of 2cm using an antenna smaller than 1cm. Currently, no mobile platforms support this technology, but Android 15 might change that.
According to a report by Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority, who discovered this new feature in the Android 15 Beta 1 released in April, the new OS version significantly enhances NFC support. A new class called NfcCharging has been added to Android 15, suggesting NFC Wireless Charging support. References to this feature were found in the code strings of the new update, with the NFC class labeled as “version 1.0.0,” indicating its initial implementation in the OS.
Rahman also identified code references for starting and stopping NFC charging, as well as reading charging payload information transmitted via NFC. Android 15 is expected to support WLC 2.0, introduced in 2021, which allows for smaller antenna sizes.
Although this technology has been available for four years, Google had not integrated it until now. However, if the reports are accurate, this addition could greatly benefit users. While NFC charging output is limited (up to 1W, per the NFC Forum), it could be a convenient option for charging smaller devices in situations where traditional outlets are unavailable.
Currently, many mid-range accessories like earbuds, styluses, and trackers lack wireless charging capabilities, but some support NFC, making the inclusion of an NFC antenna a potentially practical and cost-effective solution. However, it remains to be seen whether this feature will be included in the official launch of Android 15, expected at the Google I/O event.
