Why smartphones still skip built-in magnets (and what that means for power, cases, and gear)
Magnet-based accessories have become a staple for many users, letting you snap on and detach add-ons for your phone with satisfying ease. You’ll find everything from magnetic stands to folding mirrors that cling onto the back of a device, but not all makers are eager to embed magnets inside the phone itself.
Samsung’s stance, explained
Samsung’s Won-Joon Choi, who runs both R&D and operations for the mobile division, argues that adding magnet hardware inside the phone would be an unwise tradeoff. The extra thickness required to house magnets would likely lead users to rely on a case anyway, he notes. He estimates that a large majority of users—roughly eight to nine in ten—use a case, and many of those cases are designed to be magnetic.
By keeping magnets out, Samsung can allocate the extra room for other priorities, such as a larger battery or a thinner chassis. That said, the company isn’t abandoning the concept entirely. He says Samsung remains actively researching magnet integration and would pursue it only if they could do so without compromising the phone’s core integrity. When the right solution emerges, they would incorporate magnets directly into the device.
Personal view on the tradeoff
From a different angle, the writer isn’t convinced the argument makes sense. The desire for more battery life and built-in magnetic compatibility could justify some added thickness, especially on devices that aren’t strictly ultra-thin. The current approach also makes magnet solutions feel inconsistent: with magnets not inside the phone, users rely on third-party cases, which can vary in pattern strength and alignment.
If Samsung or other manufacturers adopted a standardized magnet pattern and strength—akin to Apple’s approach—the magnetic accessories ecosystem could work more reliably. In that scenario, magnetic battery packs and other gear might grip more firmly, without spinning or rotating, as long as the internal magnet physics were aligned.
A broader question for Apple and Google
Ultimately, this debate highlights different design philosophies among major players. Some prioritize keeping the phone svelte and maximizing internal space, while others emphasize a seamless, built-in magnetic ecosystem. It’s a question that invites Apple and Google to weigh in on how they balance internal design with external accessory ecosystems.
Author note
Sean Hollister