Chinese smartphone manufacturers have been churning out flagship phones with bigger and bigger batteries each year, using silicon-carbon technology. Now, smartphone batteries are about to cross another major milestone, as a new prototype undergoes testing and another is prepared for mass production.
15,000 mAh batteries are close
A 15,000 mAh battery is undergoing testing, according to a new report (translated source). We’ve already seen phones with battery capacities larger than 8,000 mAh, like the Honor X9d, and reports indicate that consumer phones with 10,000 mAh batteries are right around the corner.
The 15,000 mAh battery, if I had to guess, might be from Realme. A 15,000 mAh Realme phone has been seen in the past as a prototype, and the company might be preparing to start mass-producing a consumer version.
Would you ditch your current brand of choice for a 15,000 mAh phone?
In a heartbeat!
38.1%
I'll consider it
38.1%
Nah, not worth it
23.81%
12,000 mAh battery being readied for mass production
Apple and Samsung lag behind their Chinese counterparts. | Image credit — PhoneArena
Meanwhile, according to the same report, a 12,000 mAh battery is being readied for mass production. Some reports allege that we will see consumer versions of 15,000 mAh batteries before the end of 2026. If this is accurate, then the 12,000 mAh battery may be available as early as the first half of next year.
This also means that budget phones will get bigger batteries too. They might not see 15,000 mAh batteries, but 8,000 mAh and even 10,000 mAh batteries should start becoming the norm.
The future that we’re waiting for
Unfortunately, the phone manufacturers that are most popular in the States — Samsung, Apple, and Google — haven’t adopted silicon-carbon batteries. Apple has at least made moves towards using these batteries, using a silicon-carbon anode for the iPhone 17, but all three are still using Li-ion batteries.
Compared to the 12,000 mAh, and now 15,000 mAh batteries that are about to come out, the 5,000 mAh batteries on the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the iPhone 17 Pro Max seem pitiful. This is one aspect that these companies have fallen woefully behind in.
And, unfortunately, due to the lack of competition in the States from Chinese phone companies, Samsung and Apple are unlikely to invest in silicon-carbon too soon. Which means that we’ll only see marginal changes, like the disappointing Galaxy S26 Ultra battery upgrade.
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Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
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