Imagine charging your smartphone in less than 40 minutes or having a minuscule nuclear battery that powers it for decades. The pursuit of such innovations is more intense than ever.
With consumers growing increasingly frustrated over frequent charging requirements, companies are in a fierce competition to create batteries that not only charge swiftly but also endure longer.
At the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's largest yearly gathering which began in Barcelona this Monday, significant strides in battery development were showcased.
"The quest for enhanced battery performance is universal among manufacturers. It's recognized that battery technology needs to advance, as it's currently falling behind," Thomas Husson, an analyst at Forrester Research, shared with AFP.
In an era where smartphones are becoming ever more identical, a superior battery offers a unique selling point, Husson notes.
Although the 2000s saw the debut of smartphones along with innovations like wireless charging, the quest for battery improvement is far from over.
Applications that demand substantial power, like gaming and social media, have driven the need for batteries with greater capacity, propelling manufacturers into a frenzy of innovation, according to a report by Allied Market Research.
Today's smartphones predominantly utilize lithium-ion batteries, comprising scarce and expensive materials such as lithium, cobalt, and manganese. These materials not only become more costly over time but also degrade.
Manufacturers are therefore exploring alternative materials such as lithium sulphur or graphene, which may offer longer lifespans and depend less on scarce resources.
AI's Demand for Power
The Chinese phone manufacturer Honor has introduced a new battery technology for its AI-powered Magic 6 flagship smartphone. This technology, which incorporates silicon-carbon, promises a full charge in under 40 minutes and a lifespan exceeding its rivals.
This innovation has placed Honor's smartphone battery at the pinnacle of DXOMARK's rankings, a website known for its scientific assessment of mobile handsets.
"Powerful battery life is essential, especially as AI features become more energy-intensive," said Honor CEO George Zhao during the phone's international debut in Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Samsung from South Korea is rumored to be working on a solid-state battery that could offer a higher energy storage capacity, faster charging times, and improved safety. They are targeting a 2027 release date.
Apple, having recently dethroned Samsung as the leading smartphone vendor globally, is also venturing into battery innovation. The company aims to incorporate its battery technology into mobile devices potentially by 2025, as reported by South Korea's ET News.
With battery production traditionally being outsourced, companies are now striving to lessen their reliance on specific suppliers, much like their approach to chip manufacturing, Husson explained.
The Nuclear Option
In January, Betavolt Technology, a Chinese startup, announced a groundbreaking nuclear battery capable of powering a smartphone for an astonishing 50 years without recharging. This innovative battery, which utilizes nickel-63 isotopes in a unit smaller than a coin, represents the first step towards miniaturizing atomic energy for commercial use.
Although the company, based in Beijing, is not present at the Barcelona event, it has stated that the battery is currently undergoing pilot testing, with no specific timeline for mass production for commercial use.
Legislative measures sometimes drive these technological advancements.
In June, the European Union parliament enacted new regulations to enhance the sustainability of batteries. These include stipulations for minimum recycled content levels and increased durability.
According to Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, the push for better battery technology is being fueled by the electric vehicle industry. "It's a particularly thrilling period for battery technology. A breakthrough in battery technology would be revolutionary, making it possible for a mobile phone to last two weeks on a single charge. However, such a development is still a long way off," he told AFP.