Android brands should learn honesty from Apple’s fast charger (?!)

Apple launched the iPhone 17 series last week, but there was one new piece of hardware launched alongside it that flew under the radar: Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max. The name is a mouthful, but surprisingly, it’s one of the few chargers on the market that is “honest” with its fast charging marketing, a trait that more Android brands should copy with their chargers.

Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max more accurately describes what it can do than quoting a singular number. In the branding, 60W represents the maximum power output, i.e., the peak, whereas 40W represents more sustained output once the charger inevitably gets thermally throttled.

When paired with the new iPhone 17 models (except the iPhone Air), this new Apple charger can fast charge them from 0 to 50% in about 20 minutes. Apple didn’t disclose the numbers for a full charge, but you can expect it to take a lot longer at higher percentage levels.

Why is the Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max significant?

This charger represents not only a step up for fast charging on Apple devices but also honest marketing. Android OEMs tout crazy fast charging speeds even on their mainstream phones, going as high as 100W-120W. In practically all instances, the advertised number is attained only for a very short duration, often only mere seconds, before the laws of physics throttle the charger-phone combination down to more sustainable 20-30W levels.

If Android brands were this honest with their branding, that 100W charger you are holding in your hand would probably end up being called “30W Dynamic Power Adapter with 120W Max,” which isn’t as impressive as before.

But wait, there’s more. It’s not mentioned directly on Apple’s website, but Apple Insider‘s hands-on image of the charger shows that it supports USB PD 3.2 AVS protocol:

• Output: Total max power = 60W:
  • AVS:
    • 15.0-20.0V = 2.0A (3.0A DPS)
    • 9.0-15.0V = 2.67A (3.0A DPS)
  • 9.0V = 3.0A
  • 5.0V = 3.0A

With AVS (Adjustable Voltage Supply), the protocol negotiates precise voltages with 100mV accuracy. The gist is that it’s a more flexible take on traditional set-voltage USB PD, resulting in greater power and thermal efficiency. However, it’s not as dynamic or fine as PPS, which operates down to 20mV steps with real-time adjustments. We’ll explore the difference in approaches in-depth soon.

As Reddit user privaterbok tested and found out, Apple’s 40W charger can touch a higher 60W output for a good 18 minutes, touching a maximum of 62°C, before getting thermally throttled back down to 40W.

This testing was done on a portable power station, so it remains to be seen how well it translates for the iPhone 17 series, especially with the even more limited thermal constraints. Still, it’s a pleasant surprise to see Apple adopt a standardized fast charging solution instead of trying to cook up a proprietary solution to lock down its phone, like many Android OEMs do. You most likely won’t be limited to Apple’s own charger for these fast charging speeds, as other charger manufacturers will be able to support USB PD AVS in the future.

It doesn’t look like Apple’s charger supports PPS, which is a shame. Still, it’s two steps forward for fast charging on the iPhone (fast and open), and a step forward for honest marketing for chargers.