diff --git a/conn/gpio/gpio.go b/conn/gpio/gpio.go
index 3739df8b7..fce9d0de1 100644
--- a/conn/gpio/gpio.go
+++ b/conn/gpio/gpio.go
@@ -3,11 +3,16 @@
 // that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
 // Package gpio defines digital pins.
+//
+// While all GPIO implementations are expected to implement PinIO, they may
+// expose more specific functionality like PinPWM, PinDefaultPull, etc.
 package gpio
 
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"periph.io/x/periph/conn/pin"
@@ -78,6 +83,72 @@ func (i Edge) String() string {
 	return edgeName[edgeIndex[i]:edgeIndex[i+1]]
 }
 
+const (
+	// DutyMax is a duty cycle of 100%.
+	DutyMax Duty = 65535
+	// DutyHalf is a 50% duty PWM, which boils down to a normal clock.
+	DutyHalf Duty = DutyMax / 2
+)
+
+// Duty is the duty cycle for a PWM.
+//
+// Valid values are between 0 and DutyMax.
+type Duty int32
+
+func (d Duty) String() string {
+	// TODO(maruel): Implement one fractional number.
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%d%%", (d+50)/(DutyMax/100))
+}
+
+// Valid returns true if the Duty cycle value is valid.
+func (d Duty) Valid() bool {
+	return d >= 0 && d <= DutyMax
+}
+
+// ParseDuty parses a string and converts it to a Duty value.
+func ParseDuty(s string) (Duty, error) {
+	percent := strings.HasSuffix(s, "%")
+	if percent {
+		s = s[:len(s)-1]
+	}
+	i64, err := strconv.ParseInt(s, 10, 32)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	i := Duty(i64)
+	if percent {
+		// TODO(maruel): Add support for fractional number.
+		if i < 0 {
+			return 0, errors.New("duty must be >= 0%")
+		}
+		if i > 100 {
+			return 0, errors.New("duty must be <= 100%")
+		}
+		return ((i * DutyMax) + 49) / 100, nil
+	}
+	if i < 0 {
+		return 0, errors.New("duty must be >= 0")
+	}
+	if i > DutyMax {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("duty must be <= %d", DutyMax)
+	}
+	return i, nil
+}
+
+// PinPWM exposes hardware PWM.
+//
+// The driver may uses DMA controller underneath for zero CPU implementation.
+type PinPWM interface {
+	// PWM sets the PWM output on supported pins.
+	//
+	// To use as a general purpose clock, set duty to DutyHalf. Some pins may
+	// only support DutyHalf and no other value.
+	//
+	// Using 0 as period will use the optimal value as supported/preferred by the
+	// pin.
+	PWM(duty Duty, period time.Duration) error
+}
+
 // PinIn is an input GPIO pin.
 //
 // It may optionally support internal pull resistor and edge based triggering.
@@ -126,13 +197,6 @@ type PinIn interface {
 	Pull() Pull
 }
 
-const (
-	// Max is the PWM fully at high. One should use Out(High) instead.
-	Max = 65536
-	// Half is a 50% PWM duty cycle.
-	Half = Max / 2
-)
-
 // PinOut is an output GPIO pin.
 type PinOut interface {
 	pin.Pin
@@ -144,26 +208,32 @@ type PinOut interface {
 	// Out() tries to empty the accumulated edges detected if the gpio was
 	// previously set as input but this is not 100% guaranteed due to the OS.
 	Out(l Level) error
-	// PWM sets a pin as output with a specified duty cycle between 0 and Max.
-	//
-	// The pin should use the highest frequency it can use.
-	//
-	// Use Half for a 50% duty cycle.
-	PWM(duty int) error
 }
 
 // PinIO is a GPIO pin that supports both input and output. It matches both
 // interfaces PinIn and PinOut.
 //
 // A GPIO pin implementing PinIO may fail at either input or output or both.
+//
+// The GPIO pin may optionally support more interfaces, like PinPWM,
+// PinDefaultPull.
 type PinIO interface {
 	pin.Pin
+	// PinIn
 	In(pull Pull, edge Edge) error
 	Read() Level
 	WaitForEdge(timeout time.Duration) bool
 	Pull() Pull
+	// PinOut
 	Out(l Level) error
-	PWM(duty int) error
+}
+
+// PinDefaultPull is optionally implemented to return the default pull at boot
+// time. This is useful to determine if the pin is acceptable for operation
+// with certain devices.
+type PinDefaultPull interface {
+	// DefaultPull returns the pull that is initialized on CPU reset.
+	DefaultPull() Pull
 }
 
 // INVALID implements PinIO and fails on all access.
@@ -227,10 +297,6 @@ func (invalidPin) Out(Level) error {
 	return errInvalidPin
 }
 
-func (invalidPin) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return errInvalidPin
-}
-
 var _ PinIn = INVALID
 var _ PinOut = INVALID
 var _ PinIO = INVALID
diff --git a/conn/gpio/gpio_test.go b/conn/gpio/gpio_test.go
index 4ea0fd561..2dfee1476 100644
--- a/conn/gpio/gpio_test.go
+++ b/conn/gpio/gpio_test.go
@@ -43,6 +43,74 @@ func TestStrings(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDuty_String(t *testing.T) {
+	data := []struct {
+		d        Duty
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{0, "0%"},
+		{1, "0%"},
+		{DutyMax / 200, "0%"},
+		{DutyMax/100 - 1, "1%"},
+		{DutyMax / 100, "1%"},
+		{DutyMax, "100%"},
+		{DutyMax - 1, "100%"},
+		{DutyHalf, "50%"},
+		{DutyHalf + 1, "50%"},
+		{DutyHalf - 1, "50%"},
+		{DutyHalf + DutyMax/100, "51%"},
+		{DutyHalf - DutyMax/100, "49%"},
+	}
+	for i, line := range data {
+		if actual := line.d.String(); actual != line.expected {
+			t.Fatalf("line %d: Duty(%d).String() == %q, expected %q", i, line.d, actual, line.expected)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDuty_Valid(t *testing.T) {
+	if !Duty(0).Valid() {
+		t.Fatal("0 is valid")
+	}
+	if !DutyHalf.Valid() {
+		t.Fatal("half is valid")
+	}
+	if !DutyMax.Valid() {
+		t.Fatal("half is valid")
+	}
+	if Duty(-1).Valid() {
+		t.Fatal("-1 is not valid")
+	}
+	if (DutyMax + 1).Valid() {
+		t.Fatal("-1 is not valid")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseDuty(t *testing.T) {
+	data := []struct {
+		input  string
+		d      Duty
+		hasErr bool
+	}{
+		{"", 0, true},
+		{"0", 0, false},
+		{"0%", 0, false},
+		{"1", 1, false},
+		{"1%", 655, false},
+		{"100%", DutyMax, false},
+		{"65535", DutyMax, false},
+		{"65536", 0, true},
+		{"101%", 0, true},
+		{"-1", 0, true},
+		{"-1%", 0, true},
+	}
+	for i, line := range data {
+		if d, err := ParseDuty(line.input); d != line.d || (err != nil) != line.hasErr {
+			t.Fatalf("line %d: Parse(%q) == %d, %q, expected %d, %t", i, line.input, d, err, line.d, line.hasErr)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	if INVALID.String() != "INVALID" || INVALID.Name() != "INVALID" || INVALID.Number() != -1 || INVALID.Function() != "" {
 		t.Fail()
@@ -50,7 +118,7 @@ func TestInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	if INVALID.In(Float, NoEdge) != errInvalidPin || INVALID.Read() != Low || INVALID.WaitForEdge(time.Minute) || INVALID.Pull() != PullNoChange {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
-	if INVALID.Out(Low) != errInvalidPin || INVALID.PWM(0) != errInvalidPin {
+	if INVALID.Out(Low) != errInvalidPin {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest.go b/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest.go
index 78605f8c6..dae5a915d 100644
--- a/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest.go
+++ b/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest.go
@@ -105,9 +105,4 @@ func (p *Pin) Out(l gpio.Level) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PWM implements gpio.PinOut.
-func (p *Pin) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return errors.New("gpiotest: pwm is not implemented")
-}
-
 var _ gpio.PinIO = &Pin{}
diff --git a/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest_test.go b/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest_test.go
index d090412da..c7353ddaa 100644
--- a/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest_test.go
+++ b/conn/gpio/gpiotest/gpiotest_test.go
@@ -60,9 +60,6 @@ func TestPin_edge(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPin_fail(t *testing.T) {
 	p := &Pin{N: "GPIO1", Num: 1, Fn: "I2C1_SDA"}
-	if err := p.PWM(5); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal()
-	}
 	if err := p.In(gpio.Float, gpio.BothEdges); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal()
 	}
diff --git a/host/allwinner/gpio.go b/host/allwinner/gpio.go
index 65ea357ea..2cc9051ea 100644
--- a/host/allwinner/gpio.go
+++ b/host/allwinner/gpio.go
@@ -223,11 +223,6 @@ func (p *Pin) Out(l gpio.Level) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PWM is not supported.
-func (p *Pin) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return p.wrap(errors.New("pwm is not supported"))
-}
-
 //
 
 // function returns the current GPIO pin function.
diff --git a/host/allwinner/gpio_pl.go b/host/allwinner/gpio_pl.go
index 314976c8f..3a3dfa4ef 100644
--- a/host/allwinner/gpio_pl.go
+++ b/host/allwinner/gpio_pl.go
@@ -196,11 +196,6 @@ func (p *PinPL) Out(l gpio.Level) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PWM implements gpio.PinOut.
-func (p *PinPL) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return p.wrap(errors.New("pwm is not supported"))
-}
-
 //
 
 // function returns the current GPIO pin function.
diff --git a/host/bcm283x/gpio.go b/host/bcm283x/gpio.go
index 987a35000..1a3ba49c3 100644
--- a/host/bcm283x/gpio.go
+++ b/host/bcm283x/gpio.go
@@ -280,13 +280,6 @@ func (p *Pin) Out(l gpio.Level) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PWM implements gpio.PinOut.
-func (p *Pin) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return p.wrap(errors.New("pwm is not supported"))
-}
-
-// Special functionality.
-
 // DefaultPull returns the default pull for the function.
 //
 // The CPU doesn't return the current pull.
diff --git a/host/sysfs/gpio.go b/host/sysfs/gpio.go
index 6f42f619b..87b8b71a6 100644
--- a/host/sysfs/gpio.go
+++ b/host/sysfs/gpio.go
@@ -250,11 +250,6 @@ func (p *Pin) Out(l gpio.Level) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// PWM implements gpio.PinOut.
-func (p *Pin) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return errors.New("sysfs-gpio: pwm is not supported")
-}
-
 //
 
 // open opens the gpio sysfs handle to /value and /direction.
diff --git a/host/sysfs/gpio_test.go b/host/sysfs/gpio_test.go
index 5c41d49f8..7cecbe612 100644
--- a/host/sysfs/gpio_test.go
+++ b/host/sysfs/gpio_test.go
@@ -188,13 +188,6 @@ func TestPin_Out(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestPin_PWM(t *testing.T) {
-	p := Pin{number: 42, name: "foo", root: "/tmp/gpio/priv/"}
-	if p.PWM(0) == nil {
-		t.Fatal("sysfs-gpio doesn't support PWM")
-	}
-}
-
 func TestPin_readInt(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := readInt("/tmp/gpio/priv/invalid_file"); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("file is not expected to exist")
diff --git a/host/sysfs/led.go b/host/sysfs/led.go
index 7f1c6b021..49d31315b 100644
--- a/host/sysfs/led.go
+++ b/host/sysfs/led.go
@@ -133,11 +133,6 @@ func (l *LED) Out(level gpio.Level) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-// PWM implements gpio.PinOut.
-func (l *LED) PWM(duty int) error {
-	return errors.New("sysfs-led: pwm is not supported")
-}
-
 //
 
 func (l *LED) open() error {
diff --git a/host/sysfs/led_test.go b/host/sysfs/led_test.go
index 0a6e7bf3b..2d053a42b 100644
--- a/host/sysfs/led_test.go
+++ b/host/sysfs/led_test.go
@@ -75,7 +75,4 @@ func TestLED_not_supported(t *testing.T) {
 	if pull := l.Pull(); pull != gpio.PullNoChange {
 		t.Fatal(pull)
 	}
-	if err := l.PWM(0); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("not supported")
-	}
 }