Not too long ago, Google unveiled its new Nexus smartphones — the Huawei Nexus 6P and LG Nexus 5X — packed with a bevy of impressive specs and features, including the 12.3MP rear shooters, Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensors, Android 6.0 Lollipop and, of course, USB Type-C ports.
While it is no secret that USB Type-C is built to offer swift data transfers, what most people do not know is that these 2015 Nexus devices also support power supply function through USB Type-C.
To date, it looks like the USB Type-C is becoming the standard, with quite a few devices already boasting the technology, including the OnePlus 2, ZenPad S as well as other devices which are yet to be unveiled.
How USB Power Delivery Works With The New Nexus Phones
With the technology, users can charge a Nexus 6P from a Nexus 5X, or the other way.
Upon connecting the two devices via a C-to-C cable, users will be prompted with options: Use USB for charging, power supply, photo transfer (PTP) or MIDI (use the device for MIDI input). They can opt to select Power Supply or Charging.
If, for instance, users wish to charge the Nexus 5X, they can tap the Charging option on the Nexus 5X and the Power Supply on the Nexus 6P. These two devices can always switch roles.
How About Other USB Type-C Devices
According to a report, it seems that USB Power Delivery does not fully work on other devices sporting USB Type-C devices as of the moment.
It was discovered that the devices tested, including the OnePlus 2 and Zen Pad S, only support one-way charging, albeit they come with a Type-C port. These devices would only charge the Nexus phones, not the other way around.
Additionally, it has also been reported that the charge rate is more sluggish than with the two Nexus smartphones. The report speculates that it is likely because of a software issue, as older tablets and phones are not powered by Marshmallow.
They Don’t Support Quick Charge 2.0
While Google claims these new Nexus phones do support fast charging via USB Type-C, they do not incorporate Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0. This makes it quite confusing, since each device has a Qualcomm processor that may support Quick Charge 2.0.
