
businessNov 9, 20211:02:31pending
Why charging phones is such a complex business, with Anker CEO Steven Yang
About this episode
Nilay Patel talks to Steven Yang, the CEO and founder of Anker Innovations. The conversation covers the full stack of Decoder topics: taking bets on new tech like gallium nitride, building a direct-to-consumer business on Amazon, and the complexity of managing the Amazon relationship, regulatory issues, platform fees — you name it. And all from a company that started making phone chargers. Anker is endlessly fascinating.
Links:
Anker CEO Steven Yang is all in on USB-C
Amazon-Native Brand Anker Goes Public
EU proposes mandatory USB-C on all devices, including iPhones
Gallium nitride is the silicon of the future
Video: Is gallium nitride the silicon of the future?
Anker MagGo devices snap on for wireless iPhone charging in your car and home
Amazon confirms it removed RavPower, a popular phone battery and charger brand
Another Amazon-first gadget brand has suspiciously vanished: Choetech
Doug DeMuro on Decoder
Nebula Capsule II mini projector review: TV in a can
Transcript:
https://www.theverge.com/e/22533880
Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Today’s episode was produced by Creighton DeSimone, Alexander Charles Adams, and Andrew Marino. We are edited by Callie Wright. Our music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Get every episode summarized
Each time Decoder with Nilay Patel publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Decoder with Nilay Patel

How Sonos rebooted itself
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Sep 3, 20261:13:44completed

New York Governor Kathy Hochul thinks AI should be ‘less evil’
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Aug 31, 202651:10pending

OpenAI's executive exodus has one big winner
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Aug 27, 202640:40pending

How GoFundMe became America's backup plan
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Aug 24, 20261:17:44pending