Those who got the Google Pixel 6 but did not shell out $25 for an official USB-C charging brick may want to take note. This is because some users have reported that non-Google charging cables are not functioning as they should.

Many users have posted about the problem on Google's forums (via 9to5Google). This is based on a post by Alexandru Dumitrache complaining that multiple cables and charging bricks are not providing power to his phone.

The original poster ended up using the official Pixel 6 cable (the one that came in the box) and the Apple USB-C charging brick, because the Google Platinum Product Expert said the USB-A cable would likely not charge the Pixel 6 properly, Alexandru recommends avoiding the use of USB-A cables.

That expert even said that the USB-A cable may only be able to slowly charge the Pixel 6 when it is powered off. That means you should use a USB-C to USB-C cable that supports the same USB Power Delivery fast charging standard.

Oddly enough, this has not been my experience with the Google Pixel 6 Pro. Since its release, my phone has been charging almost slowly using USB-A cables and chargers that do not seem to support USB Power Delivery. It takes several hours to fully charge, but the phone still draws power.

So, after hearing this, I tracked down some of the most common chargers and cables to see if I could replicate this problem. They are 5V chargers with a power rating of about 5W. One of them is literally a power supply for an IKEA desk lamp, because even that is powered by USB these days.

Aside from taking about 10 seconds to initialize, my Pixel 6 Pro started charging when connected to the generic hardware. Meanwhile, the phone started charging without a hitch when connected to a USB-C hub that supports the Power Delivery standard.

The cheaper generic brick charged very slowly, but the battery percentage increased. Even with my phone playing a YouTube video at 75% brightness. My cheap Qi wireless charger is so bad that I can only stop the battery from diminishing when the screen is on.

Overall, it's a strange situation, but part of me wonders if this has something to do with the mains voltage. After all, most outlets in the U.S. are standard 120V, whereas plugs here in the U.K. are rated for 240V.

In any case, Google's support page says: "Other Android cables and power adapters may not work with your Pixel phone. Similarly, almost all cell phone companies recommend using official charging hardware to avoid damage and fire safety issues.

In any case, it is worth pointing out to Pixel 6 owners that they may face charging problems with generic chargers. This does not look particularly good for Google, given that the common excuse for not providing a charging brick in the box is that most people will already have the proper hardware. [especially if they insist on providing dual USB-C cables that will not work with the common USB-A charging brick.