This new version also uses a standard USB to micro-USB connection instead of a custom connector, which should be helpful if you ever damage the cord. It's USB-A, though, so this won't help if you're trying to move everything to USB-C. The catch, as always, is the cost. The Charge Stream Pad+ costs $60, or considerably more than what you'll pay for chargers that only fast charge Samsung gear (Anker's costs $26, for example). You're paying for the promise of multi-vendor support, the polished design and wider availability -- you can wander into a Verizon store to get Mophie's pad where many wireless chargers are only available online. If you have no intention of using Apple hardware, this won't deliver the greatest bang for the buck.