British manufacturer has invested $15 million in technology that could double the battery life of smart phones. The new solid-state batteries may be able to hold twice as much electricity as current batteries, increasing the amount of time away from the charger for phones, tablets and electric cars.
The batteries promise to double smartphone life and enable electric cars to drive over 600 miles once they are charged. Dyson has put its money into a development from University of Michigan spin-off Sakti3, who have developed the new technology.
Dyson has promised to commercialize Sakti3’s technology. The batteries should store twice as much energy as liquid-based lithium batteries. Company founder James Dyson said: “Sakti3 has achieved leaps in performance, which current battery technology simply can’t…It’s these fundamental technologies – batteries, motors – that allow machines to work properly.”
Batteries haven’t evolved at the same rate as computer technologies, meaning that smartphones rarely last more than a day away from the plug point. In fact, today’s batteries have hardly made any progress since being introduced by Sony way back in 1991, although there has been slight improvements in charging times and longevity.
This has forced tablet and phone manufacturers to choose between lightness and battery life. Apple designer Jony Ive recently said that the low battery life of the iPhone was justified by its innovative design.
