Smartphone charging has evolved rapidly over the last decade — from basic 5V slow USB charging to today’s advanced high-power protocols capable of 100W, 120W, and even 200W speeds.
Understanding these protocols is essential for smartphone technicians, repair professionals, and students learning mobile hardware and charging electronics.

This guide breaks down every major smartphone charging protocol, explains how devices identify chargers, and provides a clean comparison of universal, chipset-based, and proprietary fast-charging technologies.

1. USB-IF Official Charging Standards (Universal Standards)

These are industry-approved, open standards used across smartphones, tablets, laptops, power banks, and accessories.

1.1 BC 1.2 (Battery Charging 1.2)

Type: Legacy
Max Power: 5V @ 1.5A
Detection: D+ and D– shorting

Where used:

Older Android smartphones
Power banks
Cheap or generic chargers

Explanation:
BC1.2 was the first universal method for fast charging above 500mA. Phones detect the charger by checking if D+ and D– are shorted. Limited to ~7.5W.

1.2 DCP – Dedicated Charging Port

Max Power: 1A–1.5A
No fast charging

Explanation:
A very basic, no-communication method where D+ and D– are shorted. Used in older or low-cost chargers. Only supports standard charging.

1.3 USB Power Delivery (USB-PD)

Voltages: 5V, 9V, 15V, 20V
Communication: CC1/CC2 pins in USB-C
Used by: iPhones, Pixels, new Androids, laptops

Explanation:
USB-PD is the official modern universal fast charging standard, supporting up to 100W. Devices negotiate voltage and current safely using CC communication.

1.4 USB-PD PPS (Programmable Power Supply)

Voltage Range: 3.3V – 21V (in 20mV steps)
Special Feature: Adjustable voltage → Less heat
Used by: Samsung S-series, newer Xiaomi/Vivo

Power Levels:

SPR (Standard Power Range): up to 100W
EPR (Extended Power Range): up to 240W

Explanation:
PPS allows the device to request precise voltage and current instead of fixed steps, improving efficiency and keeping temperatures low. Essential for Samsung Super Fast Charging.

1.5 USB-PD EPR (Extended Power Range)

Power: Up to 240W
Use: Mostly laptops, not phones

Explanation:
Newer USB-C cables and chargers can deliver extremely high power for large devices. Most smartphones only use SPR (5–100W).

2. Qualcomm Quick Charge Standards

Qualcomm created the first popular fast-charging system for Android devices.

2.1 QC 1.0

5V @ 2A
Used in early Snapdragon devices.

2.2 QC 2.0

Voltages: 5V / 9V / 12V
Detection: D+ / D– voltage levels

Explanation:
Phone requests a specific voltage by applying different voltages on D+/D-. Still common in older phones.

2.3 QC 3.0

Voltage: 3.6–20V (200mV adjustable steps)

Explanation:
Improves heat and efficiency with micro-adjustable voltage steps.

2.4 QC 4 / QC 4+

Hybrid: QC + USB-PD

Explanation:
Uses PD as the base protocol but retains Qualcomm optimizations. Rare in today’s phones, but still present in some mid-range Snapdragon devices.

3. MediaTek Pump Express (PE)

MediaTek’s proprietary charging technology for MTK-based phones.

3.1 PE 1.0

5V high current
Used in old MTK phones.

3.2 PE 2.0

5V/7V/9V/12V
Uses D+ / D– voltage commands similar to QC.

3.3 PE 3.0

Variable voltage (similar to QC 3.0).

3.4 PE+ (PE 4.0)

PD-compatible
Most modern MediaTek phones now use USB-PD and PPS, not PE.

4. Samsung Charging Standards

4.1 AFC (Adaptive Fast Charging)

5V / 9V
Uses D+ / D– communication

Explanation:
Samsung’s older fast-charging method, similar to Qualcomm QC 2.0.

4.2 Samsung Super Fast Charging (SFC)

Based on PPS
25W / 45W / 65W

Explanation:
Samsung uses PPS for its fast charging. Requires a PD-PPS charger + 5A cable for maximum speeds.

5. OPPO / OnePlus / Realme VOOC Family (BBK Group)

The fastest charging systems in the market.

VOOC – Voltage Open Loop Multi-step Constant-Current Charging

Not compatible with QC or PD. Uses a completely different architecture.

Key Features

Low voltage, very high current
Example levels:
- 5V 4A
- 5V 6A
- 10V 6.5A
- 11V 8A
Dual-cell battery architecture
Special cables and MOSFETs

Variants

VOOC
SuperVOOC
VOOC 2.0
Dash Charge
Warp Charge
Dart Charge
SuperDart Charge

Explanation:
VOOC keeps voltage low and pushes high current through special hardware. This avoids heat at the phone’s DC-DC converter and allows super-fast charging safely.

6. Huawei Charging Standards

6.1 FCP (Fast Charge Protocol)

9V / 2A
Basic fast charging for older Huawei phones.

6.2 SCP (SuperCharge Protocol)

High current: 5V/4.5A
High voltage: 10V/4A

Explanation:
Includes temperature monitoring using battery NTC to prevent overheating.

6.3 SCP 2.0 / Turbo

Uses dual-cell batteries and high voltage.

7. Apple Charging Standards

7.1 Apple 1A / 2.1A / 2.4A

Uses D+ / D– specific voltages.

Explanation:
Older iPhones identify Apple-certified chargers using a fixed voltage pattern on D+ and D–.

7.2 Apple Fast Charging

USB-PD only
From iPhone 8 → iPhone 16/17

Note: iPhones do not support PPS.

8. Lesser-Known Proprietary Standards

8.1 Motorola TurboCharge

QC-based, with modified PDO mapping.

8.2 LG Fast Charge

QC-based.

8.3 Google Rapid Charge

USB-PD based with very strict thermal control.

8.4 Asus HyperCharge

65W / 90W
Combination of PPS + proprietary signaling.

8.5 Xiaomi HyperCharge

120W / 210W
Dual-cell high current architecture (similar to VOOC).

FINAL COMPARISON SUMMARY

Universal Charging Standards

BC1.2
DCP
USB-PD
PD-PPS

Chipset-Based Standards

Qualcomm Quick Charge
MediaTek Pump Express

Brand-Based Proprietary Systems

Samsung AFC / SFC
Huawei FCP / SCP
OPPO / OnePlus / Realme VOOC
Xiaomi HyperCharge
Motorola / LG variants
Apple 2.4A (old)

Most Modern Smartphones Use:

iPhones: USB-PD
Samsung S-Series: PD + PPS
Xiaomi / Vivo / Oppo: PD + Proprietary High-Current Boost

How Smartphones Detect the Charging Protocol

Smartphones identify the charger using one or more methods:

1. D+ / D– Voltage Patterns

Used by:

QC
PE
AFC
Apple profiles
Huawei FCP/SCP

2. CC1 / CC2 Communication