Smart phone users beg for better batteries
NEW YORK — Smart phone users are tired of begging to charge devices behind bars or hunting for hidden electrical outlets in airports and train stations. Where, oh where, is a better battery?
The common lithium-ion battery that’s used to power laptops, cellphones and tablet computers has improved in recent years. Battery capacity has tripled since 1990, says K.M. Abraham, a professor at Northeastern University who researches batteries. But it’s not nearly enough to keep up with the demand we gadget addicts have for constant use of skinny, light mobile devices, which limits battery size.
Two billion mobile phones were shipped worldwide in 2014, 75 percent of which were smartphones, says longtime technology analyst and president of Creative Strategies, Tim Bajarin. Demand is growing by 10 percent to 12 percent each year. And we want to send e-mail, play games, stream music and videos, get step-by-step directions — all battery hogs.
“We are reaching the limit of what a good battery material can do,” says Abraham. “Going beyond what we have now is taking a new understanding of chemistry, material science ... People are working all over the world on it, but there is nothing on the horizon.”
There are some options.
Companies recently showed off battery chargers and smart phone extenders at the annual gadget show known as CES. One that seems particularly convenient is the 911 Boost, developed by Florida entrepreneur Bernard Emano and his two firefighter sons. The small black square weighs only 2.3 ounces and is designed to be carried on a key chain. It’s versatile, with three different retractable jacks so it can plug into new and old model iPhones, and any other phone that takes a micro-USB plug.
The $30 device can only provide about a 60 percent charge for most phones, though. Emano explains that a battery with more capacity would be too heavy for a key-chain. His device can plug into a wall outlet while connected to a phone, so the phone and the charger can recharge together. They’re sold at 911Boost.com; Emano is in talks with retailers.
Chinese company ZeroLemon has a line of rugged smart phone cases for Apple, Samsung and LG phones that come with built-in battery extenders. A $69 version for the iPhone 6, called the Rugged Juicer, will let you go up to three times as long before you need a recharge.
ZeroLemon also makes pocket-sized, solar chargers that will restore a smart phone battery to full capacity in about three hours, when connected by a power cable.
Qualcomm has extended battery life through more efficient software and hardware. After all, processors can handle sharper displays and cameras in phones these days, without the battery itself getting much bigger. Among the power-saving advancements: When one part of the chip set is in use, the rest gets turned off to save energy.
