Samsung is apparently looking to use a battery production technique generally used for electric vehicles in order to create more energy-dense smartphone batteries as a move that could improve the battery life of future iPhone models.
The batteries, which would be manufactured by Samsung SDI (Samsung’s battery and energy division), would be used to create fifth-generation batteries for electrical vehicles. Sources have also indicated that they’ll manufacture batteries for tablets and smartphones. 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 currently be modifying production lines in South Korea to manufacture the new batteries, and has apparently built a pilot line for the stacking method in China. It’s thought that Samsung could be seeking to win orders from Apple for the new battery type. 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, thereby making the iPhone lighter without sacrificing battery life, or retain the same design and moderately increase battery life.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.