Smartphone batteries three times more powerful by 2026?

While leading brands remain conservative regarding the battery technologies used in their smartphones, the Chinese are less hesitant to push the boundaries. Indeed, while Apple's iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy phones hover around 5,000 mAh capacity, Chinese brands are already aiming to exceed 10,000 mAh. The secret to this increased capacity? Silicon-carbon battery technology, which is more efficient than traditional lithium-ion. These new batteries are reportedly about to reach a new milestone, according to a Chinese report spotted by Phone Arena. A 15,000 mAh model is currently being tested, and versions exceeding 10,000 mAh could arrive on the market in the coming months, likely from Realme, which previously presented a 15,000 mAh prototype. According to the same document, a 12,000 mAh battery is already ready for mass production and should appear in a smartphone in the first half of 2026.