CES is often where modest upgrades become oddly compelling — and Anker’s newest Nano charger is a prime example. The company took its familiar pocketable 45W USB‑C brick and gave it a personality: a tiny display that shows real‑time power data, temperature and cute animations while your phone tops up.
The neat bits (and the tiny screen you didn’t know you wanted)
At first glance it’s what you expect from an Anker Nano: small, single USB‑C port, foldable prongs. Look closer and two changes stand out. The first is a 180‑degree swivel on the folding prongs, so you can flip the plug to sit behind the screen or point it down — a small tweak that makes the charger far more flexible in cramped outlets and power strips.
The second is the new display. On recent iPhones the screen will show the device type, battery percentage and temperature, plus the instantaneous charging speed. Anker says the Nano will also nudge charging behavior to help protect long‑term battery health, and include TÜV‑certified temperature management. Oh, and yes: the animations are intentionally cheery, because apparently chargers can be cute now.
Anker positioned the Nano as broadly compatible — suitable for iPhones, AirPods, the Apple Watch and Samsung phones — and its tiny size keeps it travel‑friendly. The company also showed a wave of companion products at CES, from a Nano Power Strip and Nano Docking Station to a Prime Wireless Charging Station and a fresh Soundcore audio lineup, signaling that this refresh is part of a broader accessory push.
Limits, price and availability
Preorders opened in January, with shipping scheduled to begin on January 20. Anker’s suggested price sits around $39.99, though retailers have already been running promotions and coupons on launch listings.
There’s one important caveat: the smart display’s fullest features are effectively iPhone‑exclusive at the moment. Journalists who tested the charger found that Android phones — including a Pixel 10 used during demos — don’t trigger the device recognition or the battery‑percentage readouts. Anker told press teams it hopes to extend the capability to Android later, but for now the display will still show basic power metrics without the deeper device tie‑ins. If you follow Pixel coverage, that gap is worth noting: the Nano won’t provide the same experience on some Android handsets as it does on iPhones (Pixel 10 coverage).
If you care about ecosystem polish (the sort that makes a charger feel like an Apple accessory), this is clearly aimed at iPhone users. If you just want a compact 45W brick to shove in a bag, the swivel prongs and temperature safeguards alone are handy improvements.
Why this matters right now
There’s a subtle shift happening: chargers are no longer purely functional. CES showed a raft of chargers and hubs that try to blend utility with personality or extra features — displays, modular docks, or even AI companions embedded in stands. That doesn’t mean everyone needs a screen on their wall wart, but it does show how accessory makers are competing on experience as well as wattage. For context on how major brands are pushing smart home and device ecosystems at CES, consider how Ikea and others are expanding their Matter efforts this year (IKEA’s Matter push).
If you own an Apple Watch or other Apple accessories, the Nano is pitched to play nicely with them. If that matters to you, it’s worth comparing this small charger to other accessories in your routine — and yes, if you want to treat it like part of an Apple setup, the new Nano complements devices like the Apple Watch.
Practical buying tip: if you’re an Android user who only needs raw charging power, you’ll get a dependable 45W brick. If you wanted the device recognition, animation and battery‑protecting behavior shown in demos, wait until (or if) Anker rolls out Android support.
The Nano is a tidy upgrade: playful display, a smarter plug, and temperature protections that reflect how much attention vendors now pay to battery longevity. Whether that’s worth swapping a plain old 45W charger for a slightly funnier one depends on how much you like a bit of personality with your power.