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Android may soon redefine what it's been calling "fast charging"

By Johanna Romero

Published: Jun 18, 2024, 1:24 PM

Android

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Image credit — Anker

In this constantly evolving smartphone market, for OEMs, charging speed has become a major selling point and a way to stand out. To keep up with the competition, manufacturers constantly push the boundaries of fast charging technology. However, Android's current system for indicating charging speed has led to some confusion among users.

Currently, Android labels any charger delivering 7.5W or more as "fast." This broad definition encompasses a wide range of charging speeds, making it difficult for users to distinguish between a standard charger and a high-powered one. This lack of clarity can lead to unrealistic expectations about how quickly a device will charge.

Fortunately, Google aims to finally address this issue in the upcoming Android 15 update. Evidence suggests that the tech giant is planning to raise the threshold for "fast" charging from 7.5W to 20W. This change would provide users with a more accurate understanding of charging speed and help them make informed decisions about which charger to use.

Current charging thresholds on Android: "Charging slowly" when it's below 5W, "Charging" when it's between 5W and 7.5W, and "Charging rapidly" when it's above 7.5W

| Images credit — Android Authority

The move to a higher threshold for "fast" charging is expected to have a more significant impact on users of high-end smartphones, such as the Google Pixel 8, which supports charging speeds of up to 30W. These users will be able to better identify chargers that can truly deliver rapid charging capabilities.

Unfortunately, this change doesn't mean that Android devices will charge faster. The speed at which the devices will charge will still depend on the charger itself and charging speed supported by the device itself. This can vary between OEMs, and unfortunately, in the U.S. charging speeds tend to be slower than in other countries. One notable exception to this is the OnePlus 12, which supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging.

While the change is not yet fully implemented in the latest Android 15 beta, it's expected to be integrated in a future release. This update promises to enhance the accuracy of Android's charging speed indicator and empower users to make more informed decisions about charging their devices.

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Johanna Romero is a Senior News Writer at PhoneArena, covering mobile technology news across Android, iOS, wearables, and the Google ecosystem she knows best. Drawing on 15 years in IT and tech support from 2007 to 2022, she brings a user-friendly eye for the practical features and lesser-known tricks readers care about. Google named her an official #TeamPixel member in 2022, and she also reviews the latest devices on her YouTube channel, JoJo the Techie.

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