Ah, the dream smartphone!
We have now been slowing getting there ever because the first iPhone began the fashionable smartphone trade in 2007. Lots of the items have already fallen into place, and nowadays it appears that evidently we’re specializing in three elementary components.
First, you could possibly argue that smartphone chips at the moment are lastly quick sufficient. New processors like the newest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset ship large beneficial properties and at last convey smartphone to really desktop-like efficiency. You could possibly argue that smartphone chips had been quick sufficient already earlier, however with this newest large step we’re coming into a brand new period. And with the arrival of AI, we’re additionally lastly getting bonkers quantities of RAM, which ensures a telephone will stay quick for years to come back.
Secondly, I can even argue that now we have lastly reached peak smartphone cameras as effectively. The one lacking piece was lastly added once we acquired compact telephones with a devoted telephoto digicam in 2024. Certain, there are methods to enhance, however the main digicam improvements have allegedly already occurred.
After all, the “dream smartphone” is an elusive idea and one thing that’s barely totally different for everybody, however one factor is evident: it’s NOT a telephone it’s important to cost each single day.
So what in regards to the third component, battery life?
7,000 mAh telephones are coming
The battery module is already in manufacturing
A battery pack with the identical dimension as present ones, however a lot larger capability
The excellent news is that this final stumbling block of battery life will probably be eliminated subsequent yr.
A contemporary leak out of prolific leaker and trade insider Digital Chat Station tells us that the primary 7,000 mAh battery is now a actuality, and it is solely a query of when it is going to be carried out in an actual smartphone.
Listed here are the specs of this new spectacular battery cell:
- 7000 mAh capability
- 4.53V
- excessive silicon single cell
- minimal rated worth of 6850mAh
- developed by Ouga Group
What is that this mysterious Ouga Group?
It seems that that is an inside Oppo/OnePlus collaboration, so principally it is going to be below the massive umbrella of BBK company (the entity behind Vivo, Oppo and OnePlus telephones).
The important thing time period right here is “excessive silicon”. This new materials replaces the graphite anode of a conventional battery with a brand new silicon materials that may seize extra lithium ions, or just mentioned, it might probably maintain WAY extra capability.
This know-how has been in growth for years by Washington-based Group14, and it appears that evidently the fabric has lastly graduated to a stage the place it may be safely carried out in actual world batteries.
It is coming subsequent yr
We’re used to reporting about battery applied sciences far out sooner or later, however this one isn’t that.
This will probably be on actual telephones launched subsequent yr, in 2025.
Naturally, the primary firms to implement it should in all probability be Oppo and OnePlus, however now we have already seen some type of a silicon-anode battery within the Xiaomi 15 Professional sequence.
And simply to be completely appropriate in regards to the pioneers of that know-how, now we have to call Honor which first launched a smartphone with a silicon-anode battery practically two years in the past.
We must also say that some current telephones have already got a battery of practically that dimension. For instance, the mid-range Vivo Y300 Professional incorporates a 6,500 mAh battery, and you may already purchase that telephone (when you stay in Asia the place it is bought, that’s).
Two-day battery life
We have already got telephones that get 1.5 days of use, and we’d lastly get to the 2-day mark subsequent yr
Few firms give us “Days of Use” battery estimate for his or her smartphones, which is a disgrace, however now we have one such firm, Xiaomi.
The fresh-out-the-oven Xiaomi 15 Professional is formally estimated to final 1.5 DOU (days of use), and it has a 6,100 mAh battery inside.
That is glorious longevity, however it’s nonetheless a bit in need of that coveted two-day battery life.
And with that 7,000 mAh battery due subsequent yr, we’re getting a 15% enchancment. This implies we’d lastly attain that long-awaited milestone of not having to cost your telephone every single day on flagships, and mid-range telephones might really get to 2.5 days of use.
Remember the fact that with lighter use, which means you’ll in all probability be capable of prolong battery life to a few days between costs.
However iPhones, Galaxy and Pixel telephones will get that a lot later
I’ve painted a rosy image as a result of I certainly consider that is what we’ll see subsequent yr, however I wish to set the suitable expectations. Extra particularly, I wish to make it clear that I do NOT count on the iPhone 16 Professional Max, Galaxy S25 Extremely or Pixel 10 Professional XL to have a 7,000 mAh battery.
They could, but it surely’s simply not very probably.
These firms are well-known for being extraordinarily conservative with implementing new applied sciences they usually simply can not danger it on a flagship product made in tens of millions of portions. An excessive amount of is on the road.
So likelihood is they are going to wait and let different firms get the honors of being first, but additionally take the danger. And solely then, a yr or extra down the road, we’d lastly see this know-how adopted in mainstream smartphones.
However in case you are able to make the leap with a OnePlus or a Xiaomi telephone within the close to future, and if all the celebrities align,, I feel this time subsequent yr we’ll lastly be capable of name it: the dream smartphone has arrived. And I for as soon as, can not watch for that second.
