One of the most essential components of any mobile device is also the one that gets the least attention: the humble battery.

We rely on the battery to keep connected at all times for years and years without giving it a moment’s thought, when a bit of consideration and care can extend the life of your battery very substantially. Do the right thing by your battery and you can save big money.

The current battery technology, lithium-ion, has changed little in 30 years but several promising technologies are coming along that may make batteries smaller, lighter and able to store vastly improved amount of charge.

Latest advances
One of the most promising developments is solid-state battery technology. Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries that use liquid electrolytes, solid-state batteries employ solid electrolytes, making them safer and more energy-dense. They are less prone to overheating and leakage, significantly reducing the risk of fires or explosions. More importantly, solid-state batteries can potentially offer two to three times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. This means that future smartphones could last several days on a single charge.

Another innovative approach involves silicon-based anodes. Most lithium-ion batteries today use graphite anodes, but replacing graphite with silicon can increase energy storage capacity by as much as tenfold. While current silicon anodes tend to degrade quickly during charge-discharge cycles due to expansion and contraction, researchers are making progress in improving their stability by incorporating nanostructured silicon and composite materials. When fully commercialised, silicon-anode batteries could greatly extend battery life without increasing size or weight.

Graphene batteries also hold enormous potential. Graphene is a form of carbon that is incredibly thin, strong, and conductive. Batteries using graphene can charge much faster and generate less heat compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Some companies have already developed graphene-enhanced batteries for fast-charging smartphones, and ongoing research suggests that further improvements are on the horizon. Graphene-based supercapacitors, which are not really batteries but storage for static electricity, can charge in seconds, are also being explored for mobile applications.

Lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries with sulfur cathodes are potentially cheaper because sulphur is incredibly abandoned compared to the cobalt used in lithium-ion batteries But current prototypes do not last very long and it will be sometime before Li-S batteries become practical.

It will be a few years before these technologies become widely available, however, but there are many ways in which you can extend your smartphone’s battery life by adjusting for settings, changing how you use the phone and downloading software updates.

You can do it
One of the main drains on the battery is the screen, so switching on battery saver mode in the settings can make a major difference by adapting the brightness to current conditions and by limiting background activity.

Closing unused apps and disabling background app refresh stops the phone running processes even when you’re not actively using them. Also, turn off location services, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or mobile data when not in use. Switching to Airplane Mode in areas with a poor signal can lead to a major improvement in battery life by preventing your phone from constantly searching for a network.

Enable dark mode if your phone has an OLED or AMOLED display – this can save power by turning off individual pixels for black backgrounds. Keep your phone’s software updated, as manufacturers often include battery optimizations in updates.

Avoid letting your battery fully drain or charging it to 100% regularly. Instead, try to keep the battery between 20% and 80% to preserve its health. Samsung has a special setting that limits charging to 85% which helps preserve the battery while providing enough juice for a full day’s work for most people. Finally, monitor battery usage in settings to identify apps or features that consume excessive power, and adjust your usage accordingly.

Battery charging has become a complex subject with lots of competing methods.

Despite the rise of wireless charging, the old-fashioned charging cable still reigns supreme.

USB Power Delivery (USB-PD), especially when paired with GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers, is currently the most efficient and versatile charging technology. It can deliver up to 240W for compatible devices, although most smartphones cap out at 65W to 120W for safety and battery longevity. USB-PD is widely adopted across Android and iOS ecosystems, supporting fast, intelligent power delivery that adjusts according to the device’s requirements. GaN technology enhances charging by reducing heat, increasing efficiency, and allowing for smaller, more portable chargers.

Proprietary fast-charging solutions such as Oppo’s SuperVOOC, Xiaomi’s HyperCharge, and OnePlus’s Warp Charge have pushed speeds up to 150W and beyond, charging phones from 0 to 100% in under 20 minutes. These technologies, however, often require proprietary cables and chargers, which limits cross-device compatibility.

Any charger that uses the USB connector will charge any phone, but the speed will always be limited to the maximum that either the charger or the phone can deal with.

On the wireless front, Qi2 is emerging as the gold standard. Based on Apple’s MagSafe design, Qi2 offers up to 15W of wireless charging with improved alignment and energy efficiency thanks to magnets. It addresses key issues in older Qi standards, like the need to place the phone in exactly the right place before charging starts, and the staggering energy losses, making it more practical and reliable for daily use.

Words: Chris Partridge