Want an Android phone with MagSafe? Realme might have what you need

The iPhone 12 series debuted with MagSafe, Apple's magnetic clip-on accessory solution for wireless chargers, accessories and more, and while the feature didn't set the world on fire as much as some Apple fans expected, an Android phone might soon embrace something similar.

Realme recently teased an upcoming handset, the Realme Flash , via its Twitter, and shortly after that GSMArena posted lots of information about the phone that someone leaked to the site.

Take it with a pinch of salt, as we don't have much information about the source, but there are images and detailed information about the device.

According to GSMArena - and something you already know about, having read the headline to this article - the Realme Flash will debut Realme's MagDart tech. MagDart, apparently, is a magnetic charger which clips onto the back of the Flash, using wireless charging to easily power up the device.

GSMArena's leak only details magnetic charging, but if the Realme Flash has magnets in the back of it, presumably clip-on cases, wallets and more are also feasible.

The leak adds that the Realme Flash will have a curved-edge screen with a 'punch-hole' cut-out for the front-facing camera, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage and will come running Android 11. There's no news when this phone is coming, but with Realme literally teasing it, we likely won't be waiting too long.

Analysis: Is Realme building a premium smartphone?

This newcomer is totally going to sweep you off your feet!Tell us what comes to your mind when you hear 'Flash'?Stay tuned to find out.#realmeFlash #DareToLeap pic.twitter.com/azc6ysABjFJuly 26, 2021

Apple put a bow on MagSafe, to make it seem like a truly premium feature, with accessories touting top-tier price tags. So is Realme also making a premium smartphone?

It'd be strange for Realme to put out a premium phone, since the relative newcomer is thriving so well in the mid-range market.

In fact, it's odd that Realme would opt to copy a feature from Apple at all - Samsung is usually first to pinch the big A's features, with Xiaomi no slouch either - but Realme has thrived so far on making impressive budget powerhouses, and has shied away from the premium-phone race.

Could that change with the MagSafe - sorry, MagDart - laden Realme Flash? Well, probably not, no. That's because, despite what Apple wants you to think, magnets just aren't a premium feature. In fact, they're not even new to phones.

A few other phones have used magnetic clip-on chargers before - certain gaming smartphones like the Black Shark 3 have offered the feature so you can power up the phone while you play - though Realme could be the first brand outside of that gaming niche.

So just because Realme has slapped a magnet onto the back of a decent-sounding smartphone that doesn't mean it's going to suddenly start competing with the Samsung Galaxy S21, Xiaomi Mi 11 or Vivo X60 Pro. No, it's probably just trying to undercut the iPhone 12 by offering a cheaper alternative.