The Pixel 11 seriously let me down, but early Pixel 12 leaks hint at a blockbuster comeback

The reason manufacturers like OnePlus are able to offer such a massive battery in their smartphones is that they use new silicon-carbon technology, unlike Google, which uses lithium-ion tech in the batteries of its Pixel phones. The advantage of the new technology is that more energy can be packed into a battery without compromising its size.

Get ready for a battery upgrade

The good news is that a Google product manager has confirmed that the company is looking into silicon-carbon batteries. I, personally, think that the tech giant has no other option but to seriously consider the new battery technology, especially after learning that one of its main competitors, Samsung, has already started using it.

In case you are not aware, the latest foldables from the South Korean giant, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, feature silicon-carbon batteries. In fact, there are also strong rumors that the brand will also use the tech in its upcoming Galaxy S27 series phones.

Will Pixel phones start coming with 10,000 mAh cells?

Thanks to SiC technology, many Chinese smartphones, like the Honor Power 2, come with an insane 10,000 mAh cell. But does that suggest that Google would also start offering such massive batteries in its smartphones? The chances of that happening seem very unlikely.

I think Big G would take a small step instead of going all in. I would be more than happy with the company offering roughly around a 5,500 mAh cell in the base Pixel 12, whereas the XL variant would come with around 6,000 mAh, which would be a jump of roughly 17% over the current model.

A bigger battery would be really welcomed

A 4,000–5,000 mAh battery really sounds like a no-deal in 2026, when you have even mid-range devices offering massive batteries. I highly agree that software efficiency and the latest chipsets also play a major role in determining the overall battery life of a device, but just imagine how long Pixel phones would run if their highly efficient Tensor and tightly integrated software were combined with a massive battery.

All that said, I really wish that Google doesn't simply waste a couple more years just thinking about whether it should adopt silicon-carbon technology. Instead, it should use its upcoming Pixel 12 lineup if it really wants to make up for the damage the Pixel 11 lineup has done to the flagship reputation with its incremental upgrades.