Report: Sony battery boasts 40 percent longer use time

I’m sure you’re all familiar with the complaint that smartphone batteries just don’t seem to last long enough, offering only a few hours of screen-on time before running out. While quick charge technologies are helping to sidestep the problem, what we really need is extra capacity in our gadget-sized battery cells.

Fortunately, Sony is one of a growing list of companies that is working on improving battery capacities. According to a report from Nikkei, Sony plans to introduce a new high capacity battery in 2020 that should last 40 percent longer than lithium ion batteries currently on the market. Alternately, batteries and devices could be made smaller and still provide the same length of use as today’s hardware.

The new battery cell is said to be based on a sulfur compound, rather than lithium cobalt oxide found in the positive electrodes in most mainstream gadget batteries, allowing it to store additional energy. The trouble with sulfur-based batteries is that they typically suffer from substantially reduced capacity over repeated recharge cycles. However, Sony has managed to overcome this issue by formulating a new electrolyte solution. The next step is to test the battery to ensure that it is safe for mass production and use in mainstream electronics.

2020 is still a bit of a long time to wait, so in the mean time check out Gary Sims’ rundown of the fastest charging smartphones.