Xiaomi might be adding a Galaxy S10 feature to future phones – and we can’t wait

Reverse wireless charging has been one of 2019’s standout features, with Huawei and Samsung adding it to their flagship phones. And now it seems like Xiaomi might be joining the party too.

According to a leak from an XDA forum member, there are strings in a recent MUIU beta allegedly mentioning wireless reverse charging. A message in the beta version of Xiaomi’s Android skin says you can “use [their] phone to charge other devices wirelessly” and that it will be “turned off automatically if charging doesn’t start within 90 seconds”. We’d assume the latter is to try and avoid heavy battery drain.

Reverse wireless charging is a super-simple feature that allows the main phone to juice up a secondary device wirelessly. We’ve seen it so far on the Samsung Galaxy S10 series and the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, however it’s been a bit hamstrung by slow charging speeds. With Xiaomi offering 20w wireless charging it could add some fast reverse wireless charging, too.

As reverse wireless charging is a hardware feature, this won’t be something coming to existing phones – the Xiaomi Mi 9, for example – and could instead be highlight addition to a future Xiaomi phone.

Judging by previous Xiaomi flagships, the next big release could be the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4. You could say this will be the brand’s Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus rival as it normally has a huge display and plenty of power. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 was released late in 2018, with a 5G version arriving with the launch of 5G in the UK.

While reverse wireless charging is often advertised as being useful for recharging other phones, arguably the better use of it is for juicing up accessories like smartwatches and earbuds. Could this be a hint that Xiaomi will be unveiling a Qi-enabled smartwatch alongside its next flagship phone? Only time will tell.