Phone manufacturers have been using lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for decades. Samsung may switch to an emerging battery technology for the Galaxy S26 series next year, a new rumor claims.
Lithium-ion batteries have been the default solution for phone makers since before smartphones existed. However, battery manufacturers are developing new technologies, among which is the silicon-carbon battery.
According to a new rumor (via @Jukanlosreve citing Ice Universe on Weibo), the Galaxy S26 series will be powered by this new silicon-carbon battery tech. There should be many benefits to this change if it happens.
- Unlike lithium-ion batteries, silicon-carbon units store energy in silicon-carbon rather than rare elements like cobalt, lithium, and nickel. The latter ones are difficult to obtain, and the process is very harmful to the environment. Substituting those rare materials with silicon-carbon could have massive environmental benefits.
- Silicon-carbon batteries are said to have a higher energy density than their lithium-ion counterparts. In other words, this technology could improve the battery life of smartphones, such as the Galaxy S26.
- Another benefit of silicon-carbon batteries is increased safety. These batteries should be a lot safer than lithium-ion units, as they have a lower risk of overheating.
As to how likely this rumor is, it's hard to tell. But it's worth noting that the Galaxy S26 wouldn't be the first smartphone to use a silicon-carbon battery. Honor did it first, albeit in limited quantities and only in China.
Nevertheless, the idea that the Galaxy S26 could store energy in a silicon-carbon battery doesn't sound so far-fetched, given that the technology exists and has already been applied to consumer electronics like mobile devices. The Galaxy S26 might not be the first to do it, but it could be the first to bring silicon-carbon batteries to the masses.
