Smartphone Makers Adopt Silicon-Carbon Batteries as 58% of Users Say Battery Life Frustrates Them
Updated
Updated · CNET · May 13
Smartphone Makers Adopt Silicon-Carbon Batteries as 58% of Users Say Battery Life Frustrates Them
7 articles · Updated · CNET · May 13
Chinese phone brands including Honor, Huawei and Oppo are already shipping silicon-carbon batteries, while Motorola has added the technology to its latest Razr models, signaling broader adoption beyond China.
Silicon-carbon designs replace graphite in the anode with a silicon-carbon composite, boosting energy density and potentially charging speed; CNET said nearly half of its best-performing phones now use the technology.
Apple, Samsung and Google have not yet adopted the batteries in mainstream phones, with Samsung saying it is still testing whether they meet reliability, safety and user-experience standards after years of caution on battery risk.
Consumer pressure is rising: 58% of smartphone owners told CNET they are frustrated by battery life, and average battery life across 35 phones tested in 2025 improved by less than 1% from the prior year.
Battery suppliers and researchers expect silicon-carbon to spread worldwide in the next few years, especially for thin and foldable phones, before solid-state and other chemistries become viable at scale.
With phones now packing 7,000mAh batteries, what hidden risks are early adopters ignoring for longer screen time?
Silicon-carbon batteries are here, but is the hype for solid-state tech distracting from the revolution happening now?