We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
BATTERY TECHNOLOGY ISN’T going to improve anytime soon so manufacturers are looking at ways to charge batteries faster as a way of overcoming this.
The likes of Samsung have integrated fast charging into their smartphones, but Chinese company Huawei has taken it a step further by developing a prototype battery that can recharge in minutes.
The two prototypes included both a lower and higher capacity battery. The lower capacity battery, 600mAh it charged a dead battery from 0% by 68% in the space of two minutes.
The 3,000mAh version, which is closer to the type of batteries used in modern smartphones, was able to reach a charge of 48% in five minutes.
The caveat is it requires a special kind of battery and charger to work. The battery must be taken out of the phone instead of being charged directly through it.
Huawei says it uses heteroatoms – atoms that aren’t carbon or hydrogen – to increase charging speeds without compromising the battery’s lifespan. The company didn’t say if it had any plans to bring this to market.
Other companies have been working towards fast charging or power-saving modes as a way of making up for short battery life. The likes of Android have introduced features like ‘Doze’ which saves battery life when a phone is not being used.
In March, Samsung announced its premium smartphones, the S6 and S6 Edge, claimed it could give users up to four hours of battery in just ten minutes of charging. It moved away from the removable battery format it used in previous devices, using a built-in version to accommodate wireless charging instead.
Last year, an Israeli startup called StoreDot developed a charger that could cut it down to 30 minutes. At the time, it said it had plans to bring the product into mass production in late 2016.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Oh god!!…………. That quick?
Some of the frequent posters/commentators never be off this site.
They will be replying to themselves!
You included.
Looking forward to getting my hands on one.
Me too
I just keep mine plugged in whenever I’m sitting down.
We sure its not Volkswagen job where it fools the software into thinking the battery if half charged?
No I think they just up the amps, faster charge due to a higher current that’s all
Surely that would overheat the battery and actually be quite dangerous. In my opinion it’s not really high speed charging that people really want though, it’s a battery that can hold a charge for a week is where the real breakthrough will be. Id happily charge a phone for twelve hours if I get more than a few days out of it. This solution seems to be playing with the numbers while not offering and actual change.
If you read the article, it does mention you need a special charger and battery so that covers that concern.
Would love to comment on this but my battery is about to di
Heteroatoms ?
Where are the liberals screeching that they have to called cisgendered atoms ?
*Have to be called * Bloody touchscreen.
have your say