Sony is developing new battery technology that is a big improvement to the lithium-ion units that it first released to the retail market over two decades ago, but will not be available to mobile device owners until around 2020. The improved performance would be a more permanent solution than big and bulky or quick-charging tablet and smartphone batteries. This would provide more powerful units for handsets such as the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6, and Nexus 6P.
Rather than focusing on issues such as the size and thickness of mobile phones' power supplies, the company is working on the chemical compounds contained in the battery, according to Phone Arena.
Nikkei reports that Sony's new battery technology could store up to 40 percent more energy than today's Li-ion power supplies, according to Engadget. That includes lithium-sulfur units. While that battery tech boosts the cells' capacity, the sulfur degrades so quickly that it not practical for rechargeable batteries.
However, the most innovative tech Sony is developing is magnesium-sulfur batteries. Due to magnesium being more available than lithium, it could produce cheaper batteries.
Such magnesium batteries would include other benefits. In particular, they could provide a longer battery life and would be safer that Li-ion batteries that can cause a risk of fire.
The Japanese conglomerate's goal is to make sulfur batteries available sometime in 2020. It would first be used in smart phones.
Sony unveiled the first commercial lithium-ion battery in 1991.While use of the batteries has been improved multiple times, many smartphone and tablet owners are still unhappy about their limited capacity.