Samsung Battery Technology Adapted From EVs Could Boost iPhone Battery Life

Samsung is planning to use a battery production technique normally used for electric vehicles to create more energy-dense smartphone batteries, in a move that could improve the battery life of future iPhone models, The Elec reports.

ifixit iphone 13 teardownsImage via iFixit

Samsung SDI, Samsung's battery and energy division, intends to use a production technique it currently uses to make fifth-generation batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) to manufacture batteries for tablets and smartphones, according to sources speaking to The Elec. Rather than the wound jellyroll method that is often used to make rechargeable batteries, the EV method stacks battery materials in layers to increase energy density by over 10 percent without taking up any more internal space.

The company is said to be modifying production lines in South Korea to be able to manufacture the new batteries, and it has already built a pilot line for the stacking method in China. The Elec proposes that Samsung could be seeking to win orders from Apple for the new type of battery. Samsung SDI has supplied batteries for MacBook and iPad models in the past, but has never manufactured batteries for iPhones. Currently, Apple's main battery supplier is China's Amperex Technology.

Apple currently uses an L-shaped multi-cell battery in the ‌iPhone‌, where multiple batteries are connected to make the best use of internal space and increase battery life. Batteries with higher energy density could allow Apple to move away from the multi-cell design, free up internal space, and make the ‌iPhone‌ lighter without sacrificing battery life, or retain the same design and moderately increase battery life.

Tag: Samsung

Top Rated Comments

GubbyMan Avatar
15 months ago

lol - a company with a reputation for exploding batteries doing experimental battery production. Let someone else test it first.
Samsung SDI is a different company from the Samsung that produced Note 7. It wasn’t the battery’s fault that those phones exploded. The problem was with the design that packed the battery pouch too tightly not leaving any room for it to breath which resulted in the pouch getting punctured.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
velocityg4 Avatar
15 months ago

What about that new sulfur batteries that are supposed to hit mass production later this year or next year? They promise 3× energy density over Lithium Batteries!
There's always some cool whiz bang new battery tech breakthrough. Which never materializes to mass production. Due to some insurmountable problem or another. Until they actually scale it up to mass production and it meets the promised safety, performance and reliability standards. I'd just consider it vaporware.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Karma*Police Avatar
15 months ago
Why isn’t Apple in the news about battery tech considering how important that is to their competitive advantage? Where’s the $22B in R&D going?? Ted Lasoo, Morning News, and See? Way to put a dent in the universe Tim.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
15 months ago
This seems like it’s actually a step backwards to me.

Tesla has always done the cylindrical cells (the “jellyroll”), and they’re sticking with it for their 4680 cells. They decided back in 2004, four years before they made their initial Roadster, that this was the best form factor. Other shapes heat unevenly, causing them to warp and degrade quickly. It’s also difficult to cool other shapes, lowering how many cycles they can handle. And of course thermal issues and warping cells means that overheating and catching fire is an issue with other shapes.

Other companies tried to make EVs with non-cylindrical cells, including but not limited to: LG, GM, and Hyundai.

Those companies all had issues with their batteries catching fire and had to do recalls.

My understanding is that the other companies are coming around to Tesla’s view and switching over to cylindrical cells. Doing the exact opposite move that this article is talking about.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mayga1 Avatar
15 months ago

lol - a company with a reputation for exploding batteries doing experimental battery production. Let someone else test it first.
If you get out of the fan realm long enough, you'd realize that the battery used in the note 7 was fine. It was the amount of room in the device that was at fault (you probably do already but like to use snarky 6 year old jokes against the brand you hate). You'd also realize that apple is no stranger to the same thing (i.e. Macbook banned on flights by FAA, iphones catching fire, watches exploding). Apple PR just does a better job with the media at keeping these things from getting big and samsung users aren't as adamant about constantly bringing these things up.


https://www.macrumors.com/2021/12/09/apple-watch-battery-lawsuit/

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobenhaus Avatar
15 months ago
lol typical

lol I was thinking the same ?
lol typical Apple user .
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)