One upgrade everyone was eagerly hoping Samsung would offer in the Galaxy S26 Ultra was a bigger battery. But the company disappointed its fans by shipping the device with the same 5000 mAh battery that's found in its predecessor. A new report, however, suggests that the wish of every Galaxy fan for a bigger battery will finally be fulfilled with the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
Why has Samsung been offering a mediocre battery until now?
Whether it be the latest Galaxy S26 Ultra or the many-years-old S20 Ultra, all come with the same 5,000 mAh battery. But the main question that arises here is why Samsung has stuck with the same battery capacity for so many years, whereas many other Chinese brands have crossed the 10,000 mAh mark. The Realme P4 Power, for instance, comes with a 10,001 mAh battery.
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The main differentiating factor here is the battery technology these brands are using. The South Korean giant has been using the same lithium-ion batteries in its smartphones for years. Chinese brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus, on the other hand, have shifted to silicon-carbon batteries.
The biggest advantage of silicon-carbon batteries is that they can hold up to 10 times more charge than lithium-ion batteries, and that too without compromising much on their physical dimensions. So, if this battery technology is that good, why isn't Samsung switching to it?
As it turns out, it's still a new technology, and brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google really wouldn't want to go all in on it before putting it through rigorous testing. Samsung, in particular, would be very careful about blindly trusting any new innovation like this after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.
Samsung knows the chemistry
According to trusted leaker yeux1122, Samsung executive VP and head of smartphone R&D Sung-Hoon Moon acknowledged that Galaxy smartphones lag behind competitors in battery performance. But it's not that the company isn't doing anything to address its biggest weak point.
Another reliable tipster, Schrödinger, reports that the tech giant has the chemistry to build massive batteries. It is reportedly testing silicon-carbon cells as big as 12,000 mAh, 18,000 mAh, and 20,000 mAh.
What's one thing you really want in the Galaxy S27 Ultra?
Longevity is what has stopped Samsung from introducing the tech yet
Samsung battery test report. | Image by Schrödinger
Such big batteries aren't just renders, as their engineering documents have also surfaced online. They reveal all the major specifications, like dimensions, thickness, and details related to failure data for these cells. The latter is what has stopped Samsung from bringing big batteries to its phones.
Engineers found during testing that the prototypes could not last until their target charge cycles. For instance, the 12,000 mAh cell failed after 960 charge cycles, short of its 1,500-cycle target. The team is reportedly working on solutions such as changing the stacking architecture and battery management firmware to achieve the target.
The S27 Ultra could be the first device with a massive battery
Considering that the work is in full progress, and even a senior member of the Samsung team has acknowledged that Galaxy smartphones lag behind in battery performance, it seems almost certain that we'll soon see large-capacity silicon-carbon batteries from Samsung too. Schrödinger believes the Galaxy S27 Ultra could be that device.
Brands like Xiaomi, Realme, and Honor have been leading the battery race for the last few years. But if the current report pans out to be true, then we would see Samsung finally catching up to these Chinese brands. Unlike Samsung, there is no information available on whether Apple or Google is working on the latest battery technology.
As of now, Apple's biggest battery is reportedly coming in the iPhone Fold. When it comes to Google, 5,200 mAh is the biggest battery that the company currently offers in its Pixel 10 Pro XL.
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Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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