Cell Phone ZoneWhat really makes some batteries better than others on the market?

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What really makes some batteries better than others on the market?

November 9, 2020

Smartphone and tablet manufacturers are continuously striving to improve the batteries they use in those devices, to give them a longer battery life, a longer charge life, a shorter charge period, and a more streamlined design. While they have been working on other functions of the device itself to help lessen the draw on the battery—thus increasing both battery and charge life—improvements to the battery itself have come a long way.

Currently, there are two different types of batteries being used in smartphones and tablets: lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-poly).

Here are the pros and cons of each so you can decide for yourself which technology works best for your needs:

Lithium-ion batteries have actually been around since 1912, but did not reach popularity with electronics manufacturers until the early 1990s. Since then they have become the “go-to” batteries of choice, mainly because they have a high energy density, they are not hampered by the “memory effect” where cells within the battery become more difficult to charge, and because they are reasonably cheap to produce. On the negative side, lithium-ion batteries use a liquid chemical that’s effectiveness decreases with each charge cycle, and it discharges when not in use, thus draining the battery’s power. If overheated or punctured, the battery can become unstable and can actually ignite.

Lithium-polymer batteries have been around since the 1970s but recently have experienced a comeback. Instead of a liquid chemical, they contain a gel-like electrolyte that makes the battery significantly more stable than lithium-ion batteries, and thus much safer to use, especially as charging technology speeds increase. They are also less prone to self-discharge. However, lithium-polymer batteries are more expensive to manufacture, the overall battery life is shorter, and the batteries cannot store as much energy as lithium-ion batteries.

The features that are most important to you in a smartphone battery may dictate which type of phone you want. Either way, if you ever need your device’s battery replaced—or any other type of cell phone repair—stop in at any Cell Phone Zone VA location and we’ll take good care of you.

Tags: Cell Phone Batteries