Johannesburg - While the lifespan of a smartphone battery hasn’t improved much since the week-long use offered by the Nokia 3310 - new technology has certainly cut down charging time, with even greater improvements coming soon.
Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi recently slashed minutes off its record with a charging adapter capable of powering a smartphone from 0% to 100% in just eight minutes.
The new record was made possible thanks to the company’s MDY-13-EU 210W charging adapter, which passed the mandatory product certification system, China Compulsory Certificate or 3C certification, last week.
While the adapter will benefit smartphones most, based on the frequency of use and battery capacity, because of its output values of 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 11V/6A Max, 17W/10.5A Max and 20V/10.5A Max - it could see use among other devices capable of ultra-fast charging, especially given Xiaomi retail a range of smart products and home appliances.
The new charging ability builds on Xiaomi’s 11i and 11T Pro, some of the fastest charging smartphones available today with 120W fast charging support, promising to charge the devices to 100% in 17 minutes.
IOL recently put ultra-fast charging to the test while reporting that scores of smartphones today promise ultra-fast charging through uniquely designed charging plugs, promising a full charge in minutes.
Meanwhile, manufacturers like Oppo suggest its Reno7 5G can set the device from 0% to 100% in 35 minutes through its 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 Flash Charge, while Apple’s newer iPhones promise a 50% charge up in half an hour.
Today almost all premium smartphones come with fast charging capability. However, ultra-fast charging is becoming more prevalent. While these smartphones have not been around for many years, most ultra-charging smartphones boast charging functionality to offer a 100% power-up in less than 40 minutes.
Despite the names of a few smartphone makers frequently recurring in the list of fastest charging smartphones, the new technology (and record) marks good news for all smartphone users.
As with all new technology introduced to smartphones, as more recent models are released, premium features are filtered down to more affordable devices or entry-level smartphones, which goes the same across all manufacturers and brands.
Features generally take months to filter through, but as manufacturers tend to attract a younger and less affluent market, these features are being introduced from premium devices to entry-level ones in less than a year.
Other features recently borrowed from older premium devices and lent to succeeding entry models of today include technology like multiple lens modules and their camera capabilities, better and higher resolution displays, and of course, battery capacity and shortened charge time.
This means that faster-charging smartphones, despite their price tag, are on the horizon, with cheaper smartphones expected to feature 65W charging soon, offering a full charge in half an hour at least.
IOL Tech