Today, USB Power Delivery (USB PD) is the closest we have to a universal standard. It’s widely used across phones, tablets, laptops and some gaming portables.
Newer versions of USB PD push the standard forward. USB PD 3.1 raised the maximum supported power to 240W, while USB PD 3.2 is the spec’s latest revision. Those higher power levels target demanding devices like laptops and monitors. Phones typically don’t need anywhere near those maximum limits. Besides, thermal constraints would make 240W (or anything close to it) impractical and unnecessary for a handset anyway.
The iPhone 17 series is among the devices that support USB PD. Samsung and Google phones use fast-charging systems built around USB PD and its PPS feature.
PPS, or Programmable Power Supply, is one of the more advanced USB PD features available on phones. It lets the device request smaller, more precise voltage and current changes as it powers up. That can improve efficiency and help with heat management.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra uses PPS as part of its 60W “Super Fast Charging 3.0” system. Meanwhile, Google’s Pixel 11 models use USB-C PPS charging to reach their fastest advertised speeds, with the Pixel 11 Pro designed for a 45W PPS charger. If you use Android flagships and want a versatile USB-C charger, PD with PPS is your go-to.
Remember Qualcomm Quick Charge? It was one of the first fast-charging systems for Android phones. Although it’s still around, USB PD has become the more broadly adopted standard across the mobile industry, to the degree that even newer Quick Charge versions themselves support it. In fact, a Qualcomm chip doesn’t even guarantee that the device uses Quick Charge, since phone makers can opt for other fast-charging systems instead.
Meanwhile, some Android phone makers use their own proprietary fast-charging systems. OnePlus and Oppo use technologies based on SuperVOOC, and Xiaomi uses HyperCharge on some models. The catch is that reaching the highest advertised speeds usually requires a compatible proprietary charger and, in many cases, the right cable, too. Still, many of these phones also support USB-C PD charging, although you might not get anywhere near the advertised speeds for the proprietary systems.
Speaking of which, it’s good to take manufacturer claims with a few grains of salt anyway. Phones marketed as supporting 80W or 100W charging don’t continuously draw that power from empty to full. Instead, they tend to charge fastest when the battery is fairly low, then rapidly taper the charging rate as the battery fills.
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