Which phones a HUBO power bank charges

The question we hear most at the station is: "Will it work with my phone?" The answer is almost always yes. Every HUBO power bank carries three built-in cables, not one, and holds enough for at least one full charge of most smartphones.

In short: iPhones up to the iPhone 14 use Lightning; the iPhone 15 and later, and most Android phones, use USB-C; older phones and many accessories use micro-USB.

Below you will find out which cable fits your phone, what 8,000 mAh actually means, what else you can charge and how to charge safely.

Three built-in cables for almost any phone

Every HUBO power bank has cables with the three most common connectors. They are built in, so there is nothing to forget, lose or dig out of your bag.

USB-C

USB-C is today's standard. Most current Android phones use it, and so do iPhones from the iPhone 15 onwards. The plug is oval and symmetrical, so it goes in either way up.

Since the end of 2024, new phones sold in the European Union have to charge over USB-C, so this is the cable you will reach for more and more.

Lightning

Lightning is Apple's connector for iPhones up to and including the iPhone 14, and for the iPhone SE. Apple introduced it with the iPhone 5 in 2012. If your phone is an iPhone 14 or older, this is your cable.

micro-USB

You will find micro-USB on older Android phones and on lots of accessories: portable speakers, e-readers, bike lights. Some cheaper devices are still made with it. The plug is wider on one side and only fits one way.

How to tell which connector you need

If you are not sure, look at the charging port at the bottom of your phone:

• an oval, symmetrical port: USB-C;
• a narrow, flat port on an iPhone up to the 14: Lightning;
• a small port that is wider on one side: micro-USB.

There is an even easier way: think of the cable you use at home. The connector that goes into your phone is the one you pick on the HUBO power bank.

For iPhones the rule is simple. Models up to the iPhone 14 use Lightning; from the iPhone 15 onwards it is USB-C. Almost every Android phone from recent years uses USB-C. You will mostly need micro-USB for older phones and for accessories.

What 8,000 mAh means

The mAh (milliampere-hour) figure measures how much charge a battery can store. The bigger the number, the more energy it holds.

A HUBO power bank holds 8,000 mAh. Most smartphone batteries are somewhere between about 3,000 and 5,000 mAh. That is why a HUBO power bank gives at least one full charge to most smartphones.

Why it is not exactly two charges

If your phone has a 4,000 mAh battery, you might expect two full charges. In practice, some energy is lost as heat every time the voltage is converted during charging. So the charge that actually reaches your phone is always lower than the number printed on a power bank. That is true of every power bank, not just HUBO.

In everyday terms, it means peace of mind. If your phone is at 20–30 %, a HUBO power bank gets you through the evening without watching the percentage.

Not just phones

A HUBO power bank charges any small device that charges over USB-C, Lightning or micro-USB:

• wireless earbud cases;
• e-readers;
• portable speakers;
• wireless game controllers.

You can top up a tablet too, but its battery is much bigger than a phone's, so you will get part of a full charge rather than all of it.

If you are not sure whether your device uses one of the three connectors, look at its charging port. The same rules apply as for a phone.

Most smartwatches, however, charge with their own magnetic charger. For those you need the watch's own cable.

Charging safely

HUBO power banks are lithium-polymer and protected against overcharging. You can leave your phone plugged in while you do something else: charging stops once the phone is full.

A few general rules apply to any lithium battery, including the one in your phone:

• do not leave it in direct sunlight or in a hot car;
• keep it away from water and moisture;
• do not drop or knock it, because physical damage is a common cause of lithium battery problems;
• do not use it if it is swollen, cracked or visibly damaged;
• do not cover it with clothes or cushions while it is charging, so it does not overheat;
• in cold weather keep it close to your body, because cold temporarily reduces capacity.

If you notice any damage on a HUBO power bank, do not use it and write to us at info@hubo.bg.

How to make the most of the charge

The capacity is fixed, but you decide how much of it goes into your battery and how much your phone burns while charging. A few simple habits help:

• Charge while you sit. Plug in at the café or restaurant and leave the phone on the table.
• Skip video while charging. The screen and processor use up part of the energy before it reaches the battery.
• Turn on power-saving mode. Both iPhones and Android phones have one.
• Use airplane mode if you are not expecting a call. With a weak signal this saves a lot of energy.
• Close apps you are not using. Navigation and streaming running in the background drain your phone without you noticing.

That way more of the HUBO power bank's charge stays in your phone for later.

How to get one

Signing up in the HUBO app takes about a minute and you only do it once. Then open the app, find a station on the map and scan its QR code. The app shows the price and terms before you confirm. You pay by bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the station releases a charged power bank.

A rental costs €2 per 24 hours, with no start fee. You can return the power bank to any HUBO station, not only the one you took it from.

Stations are in bars, cafés, restaurants, shopping centres and hotels in Plovdiv and Sofia. The full list is on the "Locations" page of the website, and the app shows the stations on a map.