Sony working on phone batteries that last 40 percent longer
  • 8 years ago
Recent history has taught us we can't expect our smartphones to last more than a day on a single charge.
As Nikkei reports, Sony is working on new types of batteries that could carry 40 percent more energy than lithium-ion counterparts.
Key to Sony's next-gen batteries are sulfur-based electrodes.
The company is also developing magnesium-sulfur batteries, removing lithium from the equation altogether.
Magnesium is the significantly more abundant element, making for cheaper batteries that also last longer.
They should be safer, too, since lithium-based batteries degenerate over time to the point of becoming a fire risk.
The company is aiming to make its sulfur-based batteries available in 2020, with smartphones being the first to benefit before other types of devices.