Teardown Update—A closer look at the logic board reveals something interesting:

Cypress CYPD2104 USB Type-C Port Controller

What’s a USB-C controller doing in here? The iPad doesn’t have a USB-C port.

Ah, but if you pair this little chip with a Lightning-to-USB-C cable and Apple’s 29W USB-C charger, you unlock a bonus feature: USB Power Delivery, a.k.a. fast charging.

Previously featured only on the 12.9” iPad Pro, fast charging cuts your battery charging time in half. (This was an especially big deal on the 12.9” model, which otherwise needs up to five hours to drink enough electrons for a full charge.)