Mobile phones chargers are an essential part of any mobile phone experience. With the majority of mobile phone batteries usually not lasting more than a day, chargers are extremely important.
A good charger can make or break your phone use experience. If the amount of down-time in phone use is particularly long, it will make for an unsatisfactory experience. That is why charging technology has evolved to make charging faster and more efficient.
Mobile Phones Chargers Varieties
One of two parameters is used to differentiate the various charger varieties. Firstly, what kind of connector they have, which also decides what devices support them; secondly, what kind of functionality they have. Based on these categories, there are a few different kinds of charger options.
Chargers based on Connector
Based on the kind of connector that the charger has, there are three main kinds of chargers:
- Type A Chargers (also called the Android phone charger)
- Type C Chargers
- Lightning Chargers (also known as the iPhone Charger)
Type A Charger
Commonly referred to in Pakistan as the Android phone charger, this kind of charger has been around the longest. It originally became widely popular around the same time as Android smartphones became popular.
This kind of charging connector is asymmetrical, which means it only connects to its port one way. While most phones have transitioned to Type C, you’ll still find it on many accessories like speakers and other peripherals.
Even the fastest and most powerful Android phone charger options can charge at close to only 20 Watts. Data transfer speeds on these cables, although not particularly slow, nowadays seem limited.
Type C Chargers
Type C Chargers are the new and updated version of the classic Android charger. This new connector introduced in 2014 improved on its predecessor in every conceivable way. And subsequently, it has become the standard charger for most devices.
The biggest physical benefit is that this connector is symmetrical. This means that the cable can connect either way without any issue. This made it much less likely to damage the cable fidgeting with its direction.
In terms of speed and power, this connector outshines Type A in every parameter. The cable is powerful enough to support charging not just phones but even laptops and other devices. Extremely fast data transfer rates mean that it can even be used as a display cable in some instances.
Lightning Chargers
This is the cable connector that Apple invented for the iPhone. This is why it is commonly referred to as the iPhone charger. Originally introduced back in 2012, for the longest time it was the only cable for most Apple devices.
This was especially confusing considering the Type C cable is superior to this cable as well in every way. It was only just last year in 2023, with the introduction of the iPhone 15, that Apple finally decided to adopt Type C on the iPhone.
While Type C supports transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, Lightning only goes up to a measly 480 Mbps. Similarly for power delivery, most iPhones actually use a Type C to Lightning cable to be able to fast charge.
Chargers based on Function
The other categorization for mobile phones chargers is the functionality that they provide. Innovation in the world of chargers means that there are special features not previously possible. There are two kinds of chargers with different from normal functionalities:
- Fast Charger
- Wireless Charger
Fast Charger
This kind of charger is mostly made possible with the widespread adoption of USB Type C. Fast chargers are special chargers able to charge your phone much faster than the chargers we used to have.
While a regular charger usually doesn’t support above 10 Watts, a fast charger can go above 100. For phone charging this usually means you can be up and running in less than an hour. But this also means that one cable works for both your phone and laptop.
An important thing to mention about fast charging is that your phone has to support fast charging as well. Most modern phones come with some level of fast charging support. But, budget phones do not offer fast charging support to the same extent as more expensive models.
Wireless Charger
Wireless charging is still not as widely adopted, considering how long it has been out at this point. The main reason is that a wireless charger is generally much more expensive. Additionally, just how much more beneficial these chargers are over wired ones is highly debatable.
A big benefit of these chargers is that usually you can charge many different devices with the same charger. Phones, earbuds, watches and more will generally charge off the same charger. This means that you only need to carry a single charger with you.
The other benefit is convenience. Instead of fumbling with cables, you drop the phone and you’re golden. Same goes for all your other devices.
Closing Thoughts
With the steady yet increasing adoption of the Type C standard worldwide, understanding chargers is becoming easier than ever. In an ideal world, a single power brick and cable would be able to charge all of your battery powered devices, quickly and conveniently.