We may need to start paying attention to Chinese phone makers when it comes to battery life and fast charging speeds. These companies are engaged in an unspoken race to make the biggest batteries and the fastest charging speeds.
Realme recently unveiled a new 320W Pocket Cannon charger that is claimed to be able to fully charge a phone in under five minutes. The 320W SuperSonic Charge technology was shown charging a 4,420mAh battery in four minutes and 30 seconds (spotted by The Verge).
This battery size is a bit smaller than many current flagship ranges. The new Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro have 4,700mAh batteries.
The new charging speeds are possible thanks to two new charger technologies and a new battery style. The company has increased the power of its Pocket Cannon from the 240W charger it launched last year to the new 320W level without increasing the charger size.
This 240W level is not new as Oppo revealed a 240W charging system in 2022 and Redmi announced a 300W capable charger last year.
The charger also has two USB-C ports that are said to be capable of delivering 150W to Realme phones and 65W to other devices like laptops.
The 320W Supersonic Charge is officially unveiled today! Click on the video to learn more about the technology behind it and see how long it takes to fully charge a phone! #realme828Fanfest #320WFastestCharge pic.twitter.com/osefpxcRlTAugust 14, 2024
The other innovation, shown in the video above, is a 4,420mAh battery that consists of four individual cells that fold together so they can be inserted into a smartphone. Apparently, all four cells can be charged simultaneously.
It follows Realme's multi-cell battery model which currently uses dual-cell batteries, which offer faster charging. Due to various regulations in Europe and the US, the West tends to miss out on some of the battery innovations that Chinese customers enjoy. That's why OnePlus' new Glacier battery is interesting, but the question is whether the 6,100mAh will make it out of China or not.
However, companies like Apple and Samsung use single-cell batteries that tend to offer higher capacity. The flagship Galaxy Ultra phones have been equipped with a 5,000mAh battery for a few years now and there are rumors that next year's Galaxy S25 Ultra will have the same battery as the S24 Ultra.
There’s a catch with these super-fast charging technologies, none of them have really made it to phones. The Redmi 300W is not present in any Redmi device. Last year, the Realme GT Neo 5 was launched with 240W capabilities, but that’s it for Realme.
Realme hasn't revealed which phone they charged in four minutes and 30 seconds, nor any devices that might get the four-cell battery in the future.
These battery tests and demos are interesting, but when will they be integrated into real devices? And while faster charging is nice, longer battery life up front would be better.
With the cost of producing a smartphone increasing, it makes sense that big companies like Samsung and Apple are trying to get the most out of the batteries they already have.