- The $85 Godox A2 brings real xenon flash to smartphones.
- It’s iPhone-only for now, but the company says Android support is “under development.”
- Android devices led the way with built-in xenon flash, but abandoned the idea over a decade ago.
For as outdated as it is, the image of a flashbulb going off as a button is pressed is one of the most universally recognizable signs of a photo being taken. And yet, our phones, which capture the majority of our photos, use LED flashes that don’t produce the same blinding intensity of light (or image quality) that are the result of “real” flash. But they can with the just introduced Godox A2, an accessory that uses a xenon flash tube and magnetically attaches to phones.
The Godox A2 sells for $85, but don’t expect to order one for your Android device in the near future (via The Verge). It’s iPhone-only for now, though on the product page, the company says that Android support is “under development.” Because the Godox A2 relies on a magnetic connection, like Apple’s MagSafe, it won’t work with every Android device. Right now that means Android phones with native support, like Pixel models since the 10 series or the Motorola Edge 70 Max, as well Qi2-ready models like many Samsung phones in combination with magnetic cases.