how your phone can tell the difference between the charger that came with it and a third-party charger and also how that can affect charging times
In: Technology
I’m assuming you’re an iPhone user, because I’m unaware of this effect in androids, but could’ve been implemented there too. In the contact that you connect to your phone there is a little chip that basically says “I’m a certified cable!”. Apple has made sure that iPhones should react to uncertified charges, i.e. cables missing that little chip. However, companies can pay to have their third-party products certified so that they will not be detected. This is a huge source of income for Apple and is why you should be wary of third-party cables that are unusually cheap – they are probably not certified.
The charging time only depends on the USB wallplug, the cable in itself is irrelevant. The original wall plug that comes with an iPhone is actually notorious for being under-dimensioned and will not charge your phone as quick as possible. If you buy a generic wall-plug (which does not need to be certified by apple to work) there is a good chance it is specified at 2.4 amperes. This is the maximum current output for a normal USB-A wall plug and works with all USB-powered devices and guarantees maximum charge rate (for apple products atleast).
If you’re worried about electrical safety and live in EU you can always look for the [CE marking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking) on your products to make sure they are tested.
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